It's My Life
by Mao-chan O.O
Summary: Despite ghosts, Mai's life has become rather dull. Until an old memory surfaces in her dreams. With new powers, new cases, a hint of romance, and secrets around every corner, Mai finds that her life may become "too" exciting. Rated M for F word, NO LEMON.
1. File 1: A Woman's Grudge  Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Ghost Hunt or anything associated with Ghost Hunt! If I did there would have been a second season XD 3

**September 27****th****, Thursday, 4:00 pm...**

_ I'm Mai Taniyama, now in my last year of high school, and currently employed at SPR, short for Shibuya Psychic Research. I've been working here for almost two years now and since we discovered that Naru, my handsome now eighteen year old boss, has psychic powers things have been kinda boring here around the office. Of course the situation is the same with me and Naru. I am still in love with a selfish jerk and sadly it seems that the future holds no hope for a relationship. In fact it seems like he has been behaving crueler than usual. All my friends have boyfriends and against all odds Monk and Ayako are now seeing each other! They still fight like always though. Maybe that's just their way of showing each other love…? Am I going to be alone for the rest of my life! I shouldn't even want a relationship with a guy like him! And yet… he still manages to make my heart race whenever he looks at me with those blue eyes. /maybe I'm just a masochist… Some people are able to notice my feelings right off the bat like Monk for instance. But I'm having difficulty discerning whether Naru can notice and he's just ignoring me or if he is actually just oblivious to it._

"What are you doing?" Mai slammed her diary shut at the sound of a familiar voice behind her. She didn't turn around for fear he'd see her flushing face. He always seemed to show up right when she was thinking about him.

"N-nothing... I started a dream journal."

"Oh? A good idea, I'm impressed you thought of something like that." he turned and walked away leaving her to ponder whether that was an insult or a compliment. She glanced at the clock and groaned in despair. It was so early in the day and no one had come in with a case and she had already finished her paperwork. The only thing exciting that had happened recently was that Lin had returned from Hong Kong that morning. She rested her head on her desk and, being the typical Mai, fell asleep in a matter of moments.

_ An eight year old girl ran home from her first day of middle school. She was as excited as could be to tell her mother of the new friends she had made and the new things she was learning. Like always her mother, a fairly beautiful woman with long wavy blonde hair and big brown eyes, swept her into a hug at the front door._

"_What is this…? It's so… familiar…" Mai mumbled as she watched the scene unfold._

"_Have you been practicing your painting dear?" her mother asked as she stirred a boiling pot._

"_Yup! I had another dream last night and I painted what I saw in Art class today. The teacher said it was amazing!" the mother laughed and kissed her daughter on the cheek while she placed a plate of curry and rice on the table._

"_You're such a special girl."_

"_So are you mama." She hugged and kissed her back before she started eating her dinner. Mai didn't realize until then that she was dreaming a memory from when she was younger. Usually her dreams showed the future or the past of other people's lives but never her own. The scene changed with a horrible scream and Mai's mother running up the stairs to console her frightened daughter._

"_Shh… it's okay now. I promise."_

"_Th-they g-got you m-mom… Th-there w-was blood e-e-everywhere…" Mai's younger self __sobbed into the covers. Her mother held her close and stroked her head, a serious and almost painful expression on her face. Mai knew what was going to come next and she cried out trying to wake herself up. But she couldn't stop what was coming and once again the scene changed. Mai's hand slowly reached for the doorknob. She could feel the cold sting of metal against her skin and she tried to close her eyes before the door opened. But the dream wouldn't let her and what she saw, or rather remembered, was the warm blood that painted the inner walkway. And her mother's torn body lying in a heap right in the center._

"_No! I don't want to see! Not again!" Mai screamed over and over again but nobody came to help her. The blood crept from the walls and up her body. She was slowly drowning and still no one came. She was alone._

"Mai!" her eyes shot open to see Naru and Lin hovering over her. "What happened?" Naru asked blunt as always. Mai didn't respond for a while and just shook her head.

"I'm fine…" she said this so quietly he had to strain to hear her.

"Are you sure?" he knew she was lying. Usually he wouldn't be so concerned but this time Mai was screaming things like not wanting to see something. She also mentioned the word "again" making him think something strange was happening with her lately.

"Yes. I'm going home. I'm done today." Without even hearing his response she picked up her purse and left. This left Naru standing in the middle of the room shocked.

"What are you going to do Naru?" Lin asked breaking the silence. Naru didn't know what to do for the first time in his life. Usually Mai would cry and tell him what the dream was about. But this time she just left without saying anything? It was so out of character. He ultimately decided to just ignore things he couldn't understand and went back to his office.

**Friday 28th, 3:30 pm...**

"Hey Naru!" Monk burst through the door along with the entire SPR gang disturbing a the strangely quiet office. Naru sat in his chair, legs crossed, elbows rested on the chair arms, finger locked together, fuming with rage. Monk regretted even stepping foot in the office and began to leave until Ayako stopped him and the others.

"What's wrong Naru?" she said in a teasing tone. She always did seem to be searching for trouble. He didn't respond. She rolled her eyes and looked around. "Say, where's Mai?"

"She hasn't shown up today." Lin said coming out of his cave.

"Really? That must be why Naru's so upset. You haven't gotten your tea yet today have you?" Naru glared at her with such force she felt like she had been knocked against the wall. Before he could proceed to subconsciously kill her the door creaked open and a girl in a school uniform peeked in. It was Keiko, one of the girls that Mai would tell ghost stories with after school.

"Um… sorry to disturb you but is Mai here?"

"No she isn't." Naru said in a short sharp response. The girl flinched and then looked extremely worried. "Oh… well… she didn't show up at school today. Do you know where she is?" Monk looked perplexed.

"Yes, we have class together and Mai doesn't have a cell phone. She said she can't afford one. I was going to go to her apartment to see if she was there but I have cram classes. I hate to ask this of you but if there is any way could you possibly check on her?"

"Perhaps she is sick." John pointed out. Naru looked to be deep in thought and the glare that was once on his face had disappeared.

"I don't like it. Lin get the keys." Everyone was surprised by the sudden caring act made by the usually cold teenage boy.

"What's this?" Ayako grinned. "I believe we may have just seen that rare caring side flash its face."

"We'll have to take a picture to remember this rare occasion." Monk laughed.

"Yesterday Mai had a dream and she woke screaming. She left without saying anything." Naru explained ignoring their teasing.

"Well if Naru is worried what are we waiting for? Let's go." Monk was already out the door.

Naru had upgraded their transportation to a much larger van that could carry all of them and their equipment. It was a lot cheaper on gas money then having multiple people driving multiple cars.

"It's just around this corner." He said pointing Lin where to turn.

"This is it." The van stopped in front of an old apartment complex.

"Well let's go up shall we?" Monk walked around to the side to the stairs and came face to face with a young woman, about her twenties. She eyed the group suspiciously but then saw the logo on their vehicle.

"Are you SPR!" she gasped.

"Yes. Do you know where Mai Taniyama is?" Naru asked. Turning her full attention to Naru she nodded and then smiled in a devilish manner.

"Have you come to visit? How sweet." She giggled.

"No. Where is she?" the girl blinked in shock at Naru and shook her head.

"Mai really wasn't exaggerating. Come on she's up this way."

"Hana? You couldn't have gone to the store already?" an older woman appeared and smiled at the new guests. "Why Mr. Shibuya. I didn't expect you. I assume you're looking for Mai?" she motioned for them to follow. Mai's apartment was small with two other rooms other than the attached living room and kitchen. It wasn't decorated much though it still looked nice and it was well organized. In the corner of the room was Mai and another girl, perhaps a neighbor. Mai had bandages on both legs and on her right arm. The girl was cleaning a cut on her head.

"Ouch! That stings!" Mai flinched.

"Sorry. Almost done." She carefully applied a bandage and then went to make more tea.

"Mai, you have visitors."

"N-Naru!" Mai tried to stand but Hana pushed her back down saying she wasn't done.

"Dammit girl! Wait for the Band-Aid!" Hana scolded.

"What happened to you?" Monk asked like a worried big brother.

"Oh it's nothing. I-I just tripped is all. The pain killers will kick in any minute." Mai always stuttered when she lied, something Naru had discovered some time ago. But he didn't feel it was the time for confrontation yet so he let it slide.

"You didn't trip you rolled down the stairs!" Hana exclaimed.

"You really are nothing but trouble." Ayako sighed. Mai of course came right back with her own witty remark but their argument was short lived.

"Well if you are we do have case." Naru said moving towards the door. Mai gasped.

"Oh no! I completely forgot!"

"Hopefully that fall didn't relieve you of whatever intelligence you had." He said just as he exited.

"NARU! COME BACK HERE YOU JERK!"

**6:40 pm...**

Naru had given everyone a word of warning about how dangerous this case could be. He had been told minor details over the phone and he imagined the case would be similar to the Doll House case they had had a while back. Soon they had arrived and were greeted by Mrs. Johnson, a American woman with flaming red hair, green eyes, and freckles all over her face. She was carrying to babies as well.

"Hello there!" she cheerfully waved. "I'm so glad you all could make it. I am Liz Johnson. These two are Mable and Iris and this octopus on my leg is Jacob, we call him J.J." Liz was a very bubbly young woman. She seemed to be rather happy despite her current situation.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Johnson. Now if we may set up base and get on with our work?" Naru stated trying to avoid unnecessary conversation. She agreed and led them into the guest room. The house was rather large as the Johnson's had a family of six. Mr. Johnson was a tall dark haired man and he was also carrying one baby in his arms named Lily. She laughed and cooed as Naru shook hands with the man and Mai could have sworn she saw a flash of a smile on Naru's face. They sat down and began the usual interview.

"Now I recall on the phone you told me that you have a female ghost haunting your home and has been threatening you and the children." The little boy went silent and sat on his father's lap clinging to his shirt. Masako interrupted before they could explain.

"There are two powerful spirits here. One is very sad, always crying and calling out for something. The other is violent and angry, looking for revenge it feels like." **(Masako kinda sounds like Yoda here XD)**

"That is correct. It began when we first moved here about a week ago." Mr. Johnson continued. "The first night held no surprises but the second night we woke up to our bed shaking violently. The angry spirit had appeared and was clawing the words 'It's not fair' into the bed frame. She told us that she would destroy our love and then destroy what it produced and since then we have had a few very violent experiences. She has tried to crush us several times with the furniture and plates have even been flung at my wife while in the kitchen. The incidents have gotten worse each time." Liz had begun to tear up and she held her children close.

"We don't want to leave the house because it is perfect for us and we love it. It's home now, but it is far too dangerous because we don't know if she will target the children or not." She choked out. Her husband stroked her back to try to calm her down.

"What about the second spirit?" Naru asked.

"She walks around the house sometimes. The most eventful thing that ever happened with her was when she saw me nursing Mable here and she started crying. She ran away before I could ask anything though." Naru looked to Lin to make sure he got everything down and then assured the couple that everything would be fine. Soon all the cameras were set up and everyone was sent to do a walk through of the house. Mai was stuck watching base and the children with Liz.

"Is something wrong...?" Mai asked hesitantly. Liz had been staring at her for the last ten minutes now without even averting her gaze.

"Oh no, you just look like someone I knew in the past." She said with smile.

"Oh, I see." It was still awkward that Liz had been staring at her for so long but thankfully she was interrupted by the baby's small cries for attention.

"You sure have a big family." Mai smiled as she helped Liz rock one of the triplets.

"Well we actually didn't intend to have so many." She laughed somewhat wearily. "We intended to stop with J.J. but I kinda forgot my birth control one night and surprise! We got three… But I wouldn't have it any other way. I love all my lil' angels." She kissed Iris' cheek and almost instantly the lights flickered and the doors and windows shut.

"_It's not fair…"_ Liz screamed as black hands burst through the wall and clawed at her arms. Mai sheltered her and the babies and suffered a violent blow to the back of her head. Knocking her out cold. As always Monk came to the rescue and the spirit dispersed, but not without leaving a considerable amount of damage.

"Mai!" he shouted picking up the limp girl. A small splotch of blood appeared on his hand and he began to panic, frantically shouting her name.

**6:50 pm…**

"This is insane! Now we can't even get out!" Ayako shouted twisting and yanking on the doorknob. The entire team, including Liz and the children, were trapped inside the house come alive. Naru called Mr. Johnson and explained the situation but he didn't sound very displeased with their current situation. In fact, he said that the strong activity meant that the case would move along quickly.

"Please be sure to take good care of my wife and children." He told Naru over the phone. The service was very bad but Naru could make out what he said through the static.

"I promise that we shall do all in our power to insure their safety." He said before hanging up the phone. Ayako informed everyone that after she analyzed Mai's injuries carefully and that she was perfectly fine. That the blood from earlier was just a scrape on her neck.

"However, something seems off about her…" Ayako further explained.

"I thought you said she was fine." Naru said with in an annoyed tone.

"She is physically. But…"

"Out with it."

"Geez you sure are snippy! It's just that whenever I touch her I get this horrible chill! It almost feels like there's a ghost running right through me." Masako started to stagger but was caught by the ever dependable John. She stared, her eyes filled with horror, at the window.

"Children …" she mumbled.

"What do you see?" Naru asked taking a glance at the window.

"I can see the spirits of born and unborn children, if that makes sense. There are other spirits as well. The parents of these infants. They are calling to their children but the children cannot hear them. Something is keeping them all apart." Naru stared out the window with his usual glare.

"It seems were getting somewhere…"

Hooray for first chapter! \^-^/ Anywho, please rate and review! 3

PS: The more reviews the faster the second chapter will be posted o.o


	2. File 2: A Woman's Grudge Part 2

Disclaimer: Still don't own Ghost Hunt DX Anywho o.o... When a sentence is _italicized_ it means that either a ghost is speaking or someone is saying that phrase in English. Also when there is a random "3" present in my author notes or disclaimer that was supposed to be a heart! DX And now on to the second chapter! oO.O/ Please enjoy :3

PS: I forgot to say that I will answer any questions about the chapters as long as they don't reveal what will happen in the story :3 And I apologize for any grammatical errors DX I caught some in my first chapter and they made me so mad T.T

**Friday 28****th****, 8:00 pm...**

After Masako's sudden proclamation things quieted down. If they weren't still locked inside the house they would have sworn the spirit had forgotten about them. The girls, minus Mai, worked together to make dinner for everyone and they all ate inside the base room. Their meal was interrupted however with small stepping sounds and the sound of a door slamming shut. Monk and Ayako were already on their feet waiting for something to pop out. The noises stopped. Monk made a signal saying he was going to look in the hallway. As soon as he opened the door there was a scream and he was kicked hard in the chest. A girl with red hair just like Liz's came through the door holding a baseball bat.

"_Where's my family! What did you bastards do to them!"_ she shouted in English. Lin grabbed the bat from her and held her arms behind her back. It wasn't as easy as he'd thought it would be though. The girl was a lot stronger than she looked and she struggled and kicked shouting profanities.

"Willow!" Liz got up and squeezed the girl in a hug.

"_Calm down.__ We are with Shibuya Psychic Research. Your mother and father hired us to investigate strange phenomena happening in the house. I am Kazuya Shibuya the owner of the company._" Naru explained unaware that the girl spoke perfect Japanese.

"Oh! Sorry about that." She laughed. Lin let her go and she helped Monk off the ground, patting him on the shoulder.

"I'm Liz's oldest daughter. Call me Will!" she said shaking Naru's hand. Will was dressed in baggy black cargos filled with holes and a bright green long sleeved belly shirt. Her stomach was covered with fishnet material and she wore knee high hiking boots that were covered completely in belts that looked like she had placed there herself. Her hair was flaming red and styled so that it would swoop up in one direction a lot like that of a Cockatoo frill. The team introduced themselves and then explained the situation.

"Will was it?" Ayako recalled. "How did you get inside?" Will cocked her head. Now she really did look like a Cockatoo.

"Um… through the door…?"

"So people can enter but not exit." Naru thought aloud.

"You look familiar." Monk stated. "Have we met somewhere before?" Will panicked practically shouting that she had never seen him before in her life. Ayako looked at her suspiciously so Will immediately changed the subject.

"So how close are you guys to solving the case!" she stepped over to Naru.

"Lin, have you finished compiling our research on the house's previous owners?"

"Yes. The house itself is very old being constructed in 1898. There have been several overhauls done in order to make the appearance more modern but other than that there was nothing done to the location. There have been four families that have resided in this house. Watanabe was the first, Akiyama the second, Fujioka the third, and lastly Johnson. There is record of the death of three members of the Fujioka family inside the house, two children and their father, but other than that there is no data on the house."

"So… what? Without Mai I doubt we'll get any information on the spirit." Ayako pointed out. The others agreed. Mai usually was their source of information for these kind of things.

"Since we have no way of telling what the spirit wants or needs we have no choice but to continue to try to exorcise it. Monk. John." Both men nodded and decided to search the house with Masako and Ayako. Naru and Lin stayed behind to watch over Liz and the kids.

"_Hey sport!_" Will ruffled her younger brother's hair. "_Did you miss your big sis!_" he nodded and held up his arms wanting to be held. Liz groaned as the babies began to fuss in their crib again.

"Why don't you get some rest mom. I got this." Liz nodded and went over to the other side of the base where she fell asleep on the couch the moment she lied down. Will picked up Iris and placed her in a surprised Naru's arms.

"What are you-"

"Ya can't hold her like that! Here support her head and put your other hand here." Lin tried to stifle a grin as the baby sucked on Naru's fingers.

"See it ain't that hard." Will smiled. Naru couldn't help but smile slightly at the cooing infant.

"What do we have here?" Ayako laughed. Naru inwardly groaned.

"I don't think anyone could resist a smile like that." John smiled as the baby waved her arms about and laughed. Masako interrupted the moment when she flew into the room red faced and teary eyed.

"Mai's in danger!"

**9:30 pm...**

It didn't take long for everyone to be in the room. Ayako called for ice which Will eagerly fetched. Mai's entire body was burning up and tears were running down her face. Yet her eyes weren't open and her body didn't move. Her body jerked and she screamed as a huge gash appeared on her right arm. Burn marks appeared on parts of her face and legs and smaller scratches began to appear around her body.

"What the hell is going on!" Monk asked no one in particular as he tried to stop the bleeding on her arm.

"I felt a strange presence and decided to check on her just to be safe and I found her like this." Masako's voice trembled. Mai's eyes shot open and reflected images of fire. The spirit appeared in the far corner of the room with a wicked grin on her face.

"What did you do!" Naru snapped.

"_The hate lies deep within… all it needs to do is surface…_" she disappeared with wicked grin painted on her face and Mai's fever did as well. Her body stopped trembling and Monk could finally bandage her arm. It was a few minutes though before she woke up.

"Mai." Naru addressed her not really expecting a response. She opened her eyes wider and sat up slowly looking at the damage done to her already beat up body.

"It happened again…" she whispered.

"This has happened before!" Ayako asked. She was past the point of worry now. Mai began to cry and buried her face in her knees.

"The dreams… they won't go away… I don't want to see it again…" she sobbed. Naru decided it was best for no one to ask her what took place in the dreams and to move her onto the couch in base.

**Saturday 29****th****, 12:00 am...**

The children by now had fallen asleep. None of the others even felt they could close their eyes though as they watched Mai stare at the wall. She hadn't said a single word since her crying fit. Will stared at her with a particular amount of confusion. Everyone was on edge. Especially since Masako had informed them that the spirit they were dealing with was one that had gone past the point of no return. It was out of character for her to say something so hopeless but Masako knew that this particular ghost had already been consumed by evil. Suddenly Willow stood up and dashed out of the room only to come back moments later with a thick dusty photo book in hand. She slammed it down on the table and flipped through the pages till she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it was you!" she practically tore the photo out of its casing and put it right in Mai's face.

"M-mom…?" Mai gasped.

"You're Mai Taniyama! As in the daughter of Ayame Taniyama! Do you remember me!"

"Oh my goodness I knew I had seen you before!" Liz exclaimed happily. "You've grown so big I could hardly recognize you!" Mai stared at Will for what seemed like forever before the wheels in her brain began to turn.

"Willow! What happened to you!"

"What a thing to say after meeting an old friend…"

"Oh sorry…" Mai laughed. Monk sighed relieved as did Ayako and John when Mai's smile finally returned.

"I um… like your hair…" Mai said. Will rolled her eyes.

"You'll get used to it. I'll have to get used to yours being so short. You cut it all off!"

"It's such a pain taking care of long hair!" Mai protested.

"Lazy. Oh well it ain't like it looks bad. Since you're so short and thin it works for ya." Will grinned.

"So you take after your mom, huh Mai?" Monk examined the photo. "Hey check out this one! Aw look how tiny she is!" Mai was about six months old, laughing and playing with one of her stuffed animals. She was a chunky baby with soft brown wispy curls atop her head.

"Hey don't look at people's photos without permission!" Mai tried to snatch the picture away but Monk only passed it to Ayako. The happy go lucky feeling had finally returned to the team and even Naru found it easier to work with their shouting in the background.

"So you're doing ghost hunting now huh? I guess it runs in the family." Will laughed.

"Runs in the family?" Ayako asked.

"Yeah. Mai didn't tell ya? Her mom used to volunteer with supernatural stuff all the time. She wrote the book _Psych_."

"I read that when I was still in high school. It was huge back then." Monk stated. "I didn't know your mom was an author." He looked over his shoulder at Mai who was pouring some tea. She was getting sore from just sitting around.

"Mom loved to write. I got to meet all kinds of cool people when she went on cases. Some of them were really scary though. I once met this pair of creepy twins about my age. They were telepaths and wouldn't speak to anyone other than each other." Will nodded saying she remembered them too.

"Mai…" Naru felt it was time to bring up the subject of dreams. "Have you had any dreams concerning our spirit?" Mai set a cup next to his chair and shook her head.

"No. The only dreams I've had were actually memories."

"Must have been one hell of a memory…" Monk muttered.

"When I was little my house caught on fire and I was stuck inside." Mai explained.

"But that doesn't explain why you were physically injured outside of your dreams." John pointed out. Mai just shrugged.

"It was probably just the ghost that was doing that." She smiled. "I'm fine so there's really nothing to worry about." She assured them all.

"What a bitch…"

"Will! Watch you're language!" Liz scolded. "Oh dear little Mai…You're just as much a mess when it comes to your powers as Ayame was." Liz laughed. The entire team stopped and looked at Mai as if she was keeping some terrible secret. **(When I say entire team just conside****r that Naru and Lin don't consider themselves part of a "team." It's annoying to constantly have to say "Minus Lin and Naru." :p)**

"Mai I thought you said they were your friends?" Will asked.

"They are my friends! They just never asked so I never told!"

"Your mom was a psychic too!" Monk look at Naru wondering if he knew anything about this but the teenager just shook his head and went back to his computer, probably trying to find more information on the house and the ghost residing in it.

"She just had really accurate dreams was all!" Mai blurted this out just so she could stop talking about the past. It was strange but recently the more it was brought up the more old wounds were opened. In truth her mom had abilities very similar to Mai's. She, however, could also see the future and whenever she would meet a person she would have sudden visions pertaining to an important event in that person's life.

"Ghost hunting and psychic powers… is there anything else you've been hiding from us Mai?" Ayako asked. Mai shook her head.

"That was all mom did." She said as she thought about it harder just to make sure. The word "did" hit her like a brick. It seemed that life recently was just cruelly slamming her with the fact that her mother was dead. The thoughts of her mother's death kept running through Mai's mind. She didn't hear the others calling her name either as she continued to space out. She was thinking about the man who had murdered her mother and the hate that she harbored deep inside against him. She remembered being a little girl and wanting to destroy that man even as just a child. That last thought ran through her "Not again!" Ayako shouted.

"Damn, you faint a lot…" Will sighed.

_Mai sat in a rocking chair gently swaying front to back and she rested her hand on her stomach. She looked around the room wondering if she had had this memory before. Everything seemed new and unfamiliar. A door clicked and Naru came in the room taking off his coat and laying his brief case on the desk nearby._

"_Darling__! I missed you oh so very much! I have something to tell you!" Mai didn't know why but those words escaped her mouth freely like she wasn't even saying them. But she had to be… right? Naru pulled her close and kissed her gently on the lips. __**(GASP! O0O)**_

"_Is my troublesome wife feeling better? You did go to the doctor didn't you?" he asked kissing her on the forehead as he brushed away the pieces of stray hair covering her eyes._

"_Wife…?" she thought. "Oh yes… that's right…" Mai stared at Naru for a moment a__n treasured the warm smile on his face. She thought back to when she was sitting in the rocking chair and then suddenly it dawned upon her._

"_That's what I have to tell you about! We're going to have a baby!" Naru froze but then suddenly picked Mai up with __loving arms._

"_Darling be careful!" Mai squealed in delight as Naru spun her around in a warm embrace._

"_Will it be a boy or a girl? I have to know!" he said bending down to kiss her stomach._

"_You're so impatient. We have another seven months to wait." She l__aughed._

"_Yes, I'm the most impatient man in the world. But it's your fault... You made me this way." He kissed her forehead again and she felt his warmth and love. The love that helped created the tiny beautiful miracle inside her. She couldn't help but sc__ream over and over again in her head that they were going __to have a baby. Her and her loving husband, Naru, Kazuya Shibuya. It felt like a dream… But it was real… very real…_

"Well at least she is having a good dream." Ayako scoffed upon seeing Mai's mouth form a small contented smile. Everyone was on the edge of their seats waiting for the spirit to appear once again. Mai's eyes fluttered open and she looked around the room. She got up and ran towards Naru.

"Look out she's-" Masako shouted right as Mai basically jumped into Naru's arms.

"Darling you're home early again!" she squealed. Naru stood there with a his usual cool look on his face, the opposite of everyone else. Mai saw his expression and smiled.

"Still as serious as always. I should have known yesterday's excited impatient Naru wouldn't last." she laughed.

"Is she really possessed?" Ayako asked Masako unable to take her eyes off the strange sight before her.

"Yes. The spirit's presence is so strong it's unmistakable." Mai turned around finally noticing there were other people in the room.

"What are you all doing here? We just moved in you couldn't be that excited to see our new house could you?" Mai giggled. "Has Naru already given you a tour? It really is perfect isn't it? Just right for a growing family." She sighed happily looking around the room.

"You really need to find a place for all this equipment Kazuya. It takes up too much space and blocks the light from coming in."

"Ka...zu…ya?" they all whispered questioningly. Naru sighed exasperated that he was the victim this time and sat at his desk to drink his tea. Mai began to make what she called "a huge announcement" as he calmly took a sip.

"I'm pregnant!" Naru shot his tea out like a sprinkler and began to cough violently. Everyone's jaws dropped and Lin started to laugh.

"M-Mai! What are you talking about!" Mai looked at Ayako questioningly.

"What do you mean? I'm saying that me and Naru are going to be parents!" Mai took Naru's hand and placed it on her lower stomach.

"The doctor said that in another week the baby's heart will start beating. But I think I can feel it now, especially when you touch me. I think that even the baby's heart skips a beat during those times." Monk collapsed laughing and even Masako couldn't help but have a grin on her face.

"Aw how cute…" Ayako teased between her uncontrollable laughter.

"I fail to see how this is funny." Naru spat glaring at Monk.

"Mai, you are being possessed. There is no baby." Her eyes widened and she titled her head. The lights began to flicker and the house began to creak.

"What are you talking about…?" her voice echoed like it wasn't her but the actual house speaking. The floor boards began to quake and the windows cracked.

"Naru!" Lin looked at him as if to convey a message and Naru seemed to understand.

"I was just teasing you Mai… I-I'm very excited… for the baby." He had to choke out the last few words but the activity stopped and Mai smiled again.

"Naru… you know I hate to be teased…" she gave a playful glare. "I'll have to punish you for that. I know! Say you love me and then give me a kiss!" Masako's face turned red with fury and Monk covered her mouth before she could say anything. Ayako hid a camera behind her back.

"Go on Naru, you heard her." She snickered. Lin could tell that Naru wasn't exactly willing.

"Let me remind you that if the house collapses it will be on top of us." He said quietly giving Naru a very serious look. Naru sighed and looked at Mai with his cool blue eyes.

"I… love you…" he whispered. He kissed her on the cheek and just as that happened Ayako snapped a photo and shoved the camera back into her purse before Naru could say anything.

"I want a copy of that! Mai will never live this down!" Will exclaimed to Ayako.

"That's cheating Naru! But I suppose you learned your lesson. No more teasing okay?

Promise?" Mai hugged him around his waist and snuggled her face into his chest.

"Okay." Naru look at Lin and the others as she did this as if he was calling for help but no one was willing to ruin the hilarious situation. They turned away and trembled as they could feel Naru's icy glare piercing their very souls. Even Lin didn't dare look him in the eyes. Instead he laughed to himself. He couldn't help but feel he was getting revenge after he was stuck with Mai on their special Christmas case. Mai kissed Naru's cheek back and then tried and continued to try to steal a kiss from his lips. He tried to get Mai's arms off of him but instead fell back into his chair with her cozily sitting on his lap.

"I think we may have a problem…" Will chuckled.

"I love you my darling Naru."

It was so hard to try and stay serious while writing this chapter ^^; Pretty sure Naru hates me right now... Anywho! Rate and Review pretty please! \o.o/


	3. File 3: A Woman's Grudge Part 3

Disclaimer: I asked for Ghost Hunt for my birthday and mom said "no"... so that means I still don't own it... sad day... but that's okay because instead I'm getting Japanese lessons! XD Day is no longer sad! oT.T/

**Saturday 29****th****, 9:00 am...**

"How did our newlyweds sleep last night?" Monk teased laying a hand on Naru's shoulder. Last night Mai had forcibly made Naru, her "husband," go to bed after she had noticed he had finished discussing their current situation with the others. And by "go to bed" that meant with her in the master bedroom. Naru didn't get any sleep. He looked pale and had dark bags under his eyes. Everyone had agreed that what was happening now was that Mai was most likely living the spirit's memories instead of just dreaming about them. Therefore they decided to wait and watch, and act upon the problem later when the time was right.

"Darling you promised you would take me out on a date today." Mai pouted wrapping her arms around Naru's neck. He sighed and pulled her arms down.

"I'm afraid I have business today Mai. I want to make sure are new house is safe from supernatural phenomena. I have heard rumors recently." Mai sighed and told him she understood but still followed him around nonetheless. Everyone could tell he was about to snap at any second. Mai's constant hugging, kissing, and drooling over him was sending him over the edge.

"I wonder why the spirit chose 'it." Ayako thought out loud. "It" referred to Mai because her presence there made it impossible for them to talk about her openly without using code. They didn't want an incident like Naru caused yesterday to happen again.

"I'm just throwing the idea out there but wouldn't it have made more sense if she would have chosen to take over me? My actual boyfriend is here after all."

"I don't know why the spirit possessed 'it' but what is more important right now is why none of you can exorcise it." Naru snapped as he tried to pry away Mai who was once again clinging to his torso.

"It' may be possessed but it also seems to believe everything it's saying. 'It' also mentioned earlier that this all seemed like a dream so it is possible that 'it' thinks that this is all just a dream. 'It' may not even realize something possesses 'it." Lin explained.

"When a person is possessed and does not want to rid themselves of a spirit or denies there being no spirit it becomes difficult for even the best exorcist to get rid of it." Monk agreed. Naru's eye twitched. He already knew those things but he was still hoping that someone could get his "wife" off of him. As work carried on through the day Mai didn't move from her spot on Naru's lap and she quickly fell asleep.

"_At least she's still Mai…_" Naru thought. He noticed her body jerk after a bit and looking at her face he felt a wave of panic wash over him. She was cringing like she was in agony then of course she started to scream clutching her stomach.

"_The crib is lovely darling. I'm sure the baby will adore i__t." Mai stroked the baby blanket inside. Her stomach was slightly protruding now and due to her small frame others could tell she was with child._

"_Ah!" she gasped feeling a painful muscle tension in her abdomen._

"_What's wrong!" Naru rushed to her side._

"_Hurts… Naru… call the doctor…" she fainted and the last thing she heard was the dialing of a phone and Naru's panicked voice._

"_I'm sorry Mr. Shibuya. We could save the baby but it would mean your wife's life. An abortion is the only other option." Tear__s ran down Naru's face as he said goodbye to the baby still inside Mai's womb._

_ After the operation the doctor gave even more sad news to the devastated couple._

"_I'm sorry Mrs. Shibuya but the operation left you without the ability to bear any more child__ren. However, you have the option of adopting." The doctor gave a sympathetic smile and Mai nodded tears running down her face. Her happy life had just hit a major roadblock._

Mai finally woke up and began to sob into Naru's shirt.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry Naru! This wasn't supposed to happen!" by now everyone had returned to base and they couldn't help but feel pity for the spirit and for Mai as she spoke.

"The doctor has to be wrong! He has to be! We can still have a baby right!" Naru didn't give her an answer but instead looked at her with heart-broken eyes. This surprised everyone. It seemed Naru had a weakness for things that had to do with children. He helped Mai up and took her to one of the rooms to rest.

"Just sleep now… I'll stay here."

**8:00 pm...**

Naru returned hours later looking like something the cat dragged in. His hair was messed up and his clothes were wrinkled from Mai never letting him go even for a second. It was visible where her hands had been holding onto that's how bad it was. Ayako offered him some tea but he refused.

"Mai said that she was sorry for not being able to sustain the baby. I'm assuming the spirit either had a miscarriage or there was an abortion procedure that took place to remove the fetus due to a medical necessity while she was still alive."

"Abortion?" Monk asked.

"She also said that she would never be able to have any more children. Such results are often due to damage left over after an abortion. However, that doesn't explain who our other spirit is." He sighed and ran his hands over his hair. He hadn't realized it was such a mess. Masako was looking around the room and suddenly she looked troubled.

"I just realized something." She said. Meanwhile, Mai began to have another dream…

"_What is this!Why is she here!"Naru, her beloved husband, held a beautiful young girl underneath the rose archway in the garden. It was obvious what they were doing together by their tattered and disheveled clothing. Mai dropped down and cried__. Masako and Naru both told her a long story assuring her it was a misunderstanding but Mai knew the truth. Naru spit lies time and time again so he could see his mistress. He didn't love her anymore. But this time she had no more sadness inside of her. Sh__e had used all of it in grieving for her child. This time all that was left… was rage…_

"_I have to do it Naru…_"_ Mai held the knife to her cheating husband's throat._

"_Mai! Stop!_"

"_Why… Why can she have your baby…? It's not fair… but if I can't… then __nobody can!" __Mai cried as she slit her throat and buried Masako's body underneath the rose archway where she had so many sweet memories. __She locked Naru away in her room. His now lifeless body was cold and completely drained from blood. She had him speciall__y preserved and kept him in her closet in a special back room where she could make sure he would never leave her again. At times she wanted to stab him and so she did. There was only so much she could do with her anger though and so with time every last ha__ppy thought turned bitter and Mai sealed herself away from the world. Nothing mattered anymore. The dream… had ended…_

"I can't feel the presence of the other spirit. I can only feel that of the one inside Mai and the ones that are stuck here. But what's stranger is that the spirit that is now inside Mai feels different somehow. It is sad but there seems to be something welling up inside of it. Anger…" she remained silent looking like she was doubting something she had said.

"If that's true then what happened to the other one. She couldn't have just disappeared." Ayako stated. Masako gasped horrified.

"The two spirits… there aren't two… it's one. I've never seen this before."

"You mean that violent spirit is inside Mai!" Monk shouted. Suddenly there was a loud crash from the room where Mai was sleeping. Naru made no hesitation in exiting the room and bursting through the bedroom door. Mai stood there with her back to him. In front of her the bed lay smashed to pieces. The others watched as Naru cautiously came up behind and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder asking if she was alright.

"What happ-?" a loud slap rang out and Naru fell back.

"You lowdown, selfish, arrogant, two timing son of a bitch! How dare you!" the others stood there completely dumbfounded. Even Naru and Lin were wide eyed in shock.

"You never cared about me! You never even wanted it! You wanted that abortion to happen just admit it!"

"Mai I don't know what you're talking about?" Naru tried to grab her wrist before she could hurt someone but she slapped his hand away and made an attempt to hit him once again. He blocked her with the back of his hand.

"Did you have fun fucking that pretty little bitch!" Mai pointed to Masako who looked at Naru and then at the others.

"You'll pay for what you did! You took my baby away! You took away everything!" she was referring to both Masako and Naru now.

"Naru! Get away from her!" Monk shouted.

"I'll kill you…" she whispered. "I'm going to kill you and then keep you in my closet where you'll never cheat again! Then I'll kill her… I'll take away your everything… It's not fair…" Lin and Monk tried to grab Mai but she was faster than they were and ran through the house and out the back door. She ran until she was in the forest and finally stopped underneath a familiar site… a rose archway.

"Where could she have gone?" Monk asked no one in particular as he and the others searched around outside.

"Was that what happens when someone's possessed?" Will asked him.

"It depends on the spirit. We certainly got the activity we were hoping for didn't we." He looked over at Naru who was fuming with unbridled rage. There was a slight red mark on his cheek where Mai had made contact. She made it clear she wasn't holding anything back.

"I thought he was scary at first but if he looks at me now I might just pee my pants." Will laughed being somewhat serious. She turned and looked around with a deep sigh. Then she gasped causing everyone to jump.

"What is it?" Naru snapped.

"Right after my parents moved here mom warned me about a place not too far back in the forest. She said it was a garden that was all wilted and run down but there was a strange archway that was covered in beautiful roses. She thought it strange that the roses looked completely tame and well-kept so she went to investigate. Mom said that we are to stay away from there no matter what. She said it was evil."

"Can you show us the place?" he asked looking at Liz.

"I can do it! I've been there with mom." And so she led them to the garden.

**9:00 pm...**

Mai sat on the bench crying over her loss. The spirit appeared before her and cupped her face in a ghostly hand.

"_Mai? What's wrong?"_

"Naru… he doesn't care… he doesn't love me… he never will…" she sobbed.

"_It's okay. Why don't you just __sit here and get your thoughts together? Everything will be fine."_ She held her hands gently. "_He should love a beautiful girl like you. He's lucky to have you there. It's Masako. She's in your way."_

"Masako…?"

"_It's her fault. Remember…? She's taking __him from you. You need to get rid of her. She's always been so mean to you, remember? She deserves it…"_

"Masako… that's right. What does she have that I don't?" Mai gripped her heart and buckled over.

"What's happening? My heart… hurts…" She moved behind Mai and placed her hands on the side of her head.

"_Masako took Naru. It's her fault that you're in pain."_ Mai screamed in agony. The hatred and heartbreak overflowed in her and it felt like her chest would burst. That's when the ghosts took her chance and stabbed her knife in Mai's back. Black ooze poured from its blade and surrounded Mai. "_That's right. Embrace your hatred. Destroy their fake love… It's only fair."_

**9:15 pm...**

Masako staggered and fell forward. She looked around with a panicked expression and ran back to the others.

"Something is terribly wrong. The air… There's so much evil. We must go! Now!" before anyone could move Masako was grabbed by her kimono collar and pinned against a nearby tree. Vines wrapped around her arms and legs and spread her across the trunk like a human sacrifice. A small form was cloaked in putrid black fumes. It wasn't hard to guess who it was.

"What's the matter Masako? You don't want to stay and play?" the black smoke parted as Mai turned to greet the others.

"Mai! What the hell are you doing!" Monk asked making a seal with his hands.

"Oh don't worry. I have no intention of harming my friends. Unless… of course… they try to steal Naru from me." She smiled softly holding up the ghostly blade, turning back to Masako.

"Mai stop!" Naru shouted. She froze and shot back stopping merely inches from Naru's face. She slapped him for the second time that day however this time there was a lot more strength behind it and she sent Naru spiraling back. The others went to stop her but thorn covered vines shot up from the ground and held their legs in place. If they were to move the thorns would impale them without a second thought. Mai laughed and made her way to where Naru was trying to get a grip on the spinning world before him. She used her foot to push him back down and straddled him over his lower abdomen. She grinned and walked her fingers up his torso.

"Stop? But why? Because you love her? Because she's pretty? Because she's rich?"

"Mai knock it off!"

"No you knock it off! It's her fault! She's in the way! If she wasn't there than you'd finally see it!" She held his face in her hands and tried to kiss him forcibly but Naru was losing patience with her. He grabbed her hands and flipped her over using one of his knees to pin her down by the thigh.

"Dammit! Why are you doing this! Why Mai!" he shouted to the spirit inside the girl. Mai's eyes turned pitch black as the spirit spoke in an amused voice.

"_Because this little girl and I are very alike… she's a murderer __just like me. Aren't you Mai? They've all turned against you now! You must get rid of them before they get rid of you!_" Mai threw Naru off of her and whipped out the blade. Masako screamed as she could feel the icy sting of metal against her neck. Before any blood was drawn Naru was able to grab Mai by her waist and pull her back. He tried to get the knife but she was a lot stronger now that she was possessed. Lin shouted for Naru to get out of the way as he stood between Mai and Masako.

"I don't want to hurt you Mai. This isn't you. You wouldn't do this." Tears streamed down her face.

"How dare you! You're protecting her! I'm the one that loves you!" she stopped and her hands began to shake violently. Something was still holding her back after all this time.

"Mai. This is not you. Listen to me now. You would never hurt anyone."

"You're wrong! What do you know! You don't know anything about me! You didn't even know about the fire! Or about my mother! I've never told you anything! I'm a murderer!" Naru didn't understand but to him that didn't matter right now.

"I don't care Mai. Come on. Grab my hand. I'll listen to everything you have to say. This spirit inside of you is lying to you. It's hurting the people around you. It's the murderer." Naru was surprising everyone as he walked closer to the armed girl.

"N-No, stay away… _It's not fair… _this isn't right… I wouldn't do this… I don't want to hurt Naru… _No, he's lying! You are a murderer! __Remember the past! _Naru wouldn't lie… not to me." Mai body convulsed and she gripped her own neck, choking herself.

"Mai!" Naru pulled her to him and tried to remove her hands but her body went limp in his arms. The woman and Mai's spirit emerged from her body. Mai's soul glowed with a fierce white light. She pushed the woman away and stood over her. There was no fear in Mai's eyes. They were righteous and pure.

"_I won't let you hurt my family!_" a silent wave of energy flowed out from Mai's ghostly body and struck the spirit like lightening. She screamed in agony and ran towards the rose archway… the source of her power.

"_You can't stop me!"_ the vines lashed out and began to strangle Naru and the others. But then the archway burst into flames. Mai looked to see Will. Sure enough she had managed to sneak away before she could get caught. In truth she had gotten distracted by a bunny passing by.

"_No! I will have my revenge! You can't stop me!_"

"_We just did._" The evil spirit was consumed in fire and the case was solved.

Hooray for first lil' arc being complete! XD I apologize for how corny it is ^^; Anywho, finals are coming this week and I don't know when I'll get chance to post next :p Hopefully soon :3 Thank you for the reviews peoples! X3


	4. File 4: Memories Part 1

Disclaimer: Hello peoples \o.o/ One final down two to go! After it's over I am going to burn this math book... Anywho, I don't own Ghost Hunt :c Review pretty please even though I was a total jerk while writing this chapter! ^^;

**Saturday 29****th****, 9:30 pm...**

"Is she waking up?"

"Her eyes are opening! Mai-chan wakey wakey!" Mai felt dizzy and she closed her eyes again hoping to go back to sleep as to shut out all her friend's yelling. Will sighed and began poking Mai repeatedly in the arm.

"Don't poke her like that! You guys are supposed to be friends so why aren't you more concerned!" Mai defined that as definitely being Ayako's voice.

"But she won't wake up and Naru said we couldn't move her because it could be dangerous." Will whined.

"Which is exactly why you should be worried!"

"But I'm bored!" she whined again. Mai opened her eyes and despite her dizziness sat up and brought her fist down against Will's head.

"Would you shut up!" she groaned and fell back into whoever's arms she had been laying in previously. She looked to see that it was Naru. It didn't really surprise her though. He did catch her earlier when she fell. She eyed him up and down. His clothes were tattered and covered in dirt and his face was bruised from the spirit's beatings. Suddenly Mai burst out laughing.

"Haha! So he can be a mess!" Naru knew instantly that she was referring to him and he let her go. She thumped onto the ground still laughing.

"You're the only person I've ever seen laugh after going through something like that. You really are an idiot."

"Oh trust me, I've been through worse." She giggled. Monk offered to help her stand but she was fine and got up on her own.

"I'm glad you're back Mai!" Will said whacking her on the back.

"I was afraid I was going to lose ya again after just finding ya!" Mai grinned and shook her head.

"I would never miss the chance of hanging out with you again Will." Naru by now was walking away to get out of the forest. Mai wondered what he was so cranky about.

"I'm surprised you're not embarrassed around your boss Mai" Will snickered. Mai raised an eyebrow and wondered what she was talking about. She looked at the others and noticed they were all trying to hid their smiles. It suddenly hit her. She turned beat red and crumpled over wanting to die.

"It's not that bad Mai!" Monk Laughed. "You only, hugged, kissed, and slept with him is all!" Mai groaned and crawled away hiding underneath a tree.

"I thought we were really married! What is wrong with me!" she shouted. Monk ruffled her hair with a cocky grin and they all headed back to the house.

"Hey Mai?" Will whispered.

"What?" Mai whispered back.

"I don't know if you know this but when you were possessed you shouted that you were a murderer and things like that. Don't you think the team will want an explanation?" Mai stopped behind everyone and continued to talk as they walked away oblivious.

"I don't know why I said that..." Will looked at her confused.

"You don't know why?" she looked completely shocked.

"I don't know why... but I do. I'm sorry, I guess I'm a little confused. It's like when you wake up from a bad dream and you can't remember but you want too." Mai laughed at her silly explanation.

"You have amnesia." Will gasped. "You don't remember anything from back then?" Mai shrugged.

"I do remember a fire and I remember my mother's death but other than that... everything's a blur. And when I try to remember I get really bad headaches and eventually I give up." she explained. Will hugged Mai tightly and Mai could feel her tremble. She must have been crying.

"Will...?"

"D-do you remember the clinic?" she asked shakily.

"A little... I don't remember why I was there though." Mai smiled and looked at her friends tear stained face.

"Haha! You look all tough on the outside but you're just a big softy huh Will?" they both laughed and Will nodded wiping her face with her sleeve.

"I feel like what happened so long ago was my fault... and if you remember you'll hate me..." Mai shook her head vigorously.

"That would never happen! Besides I don't think I'll ever remember... I think... I'm to afraid to." she looked up into the sky with sad eyes.

"What do you think mom? What about you dad? Got any advice for us?" Will watched her friend talk to the sky and she shook her head allowing her lips to curl into a smile.

"You know what I think? I think that they would tell you to trust your gut. You are gifted with latent ESP right?" Mai smiled but continued to look up into the sky. She stood up and walked underneath the moon shimmering rays.

"I wonder what she'd say if she could see me now."

"She'd say that you've grown up to be a beautiful lady... And that you have great taste in men." Mai blushed and whirled around. Will snickered. Her suspicions had been confirmed.

"So you do like him. No, wait... You LOVE him!" she teased making a heart shape with her hands.

"Don't shout those kind of things!" Mai chased after her friend angrily. Will only laughed and ran to hide behind the others.

"My little girl's all grown up! Oh I'm so proud! Soon she'll have little girls of her own!" Will shouted dramatically behind the protection of Monk.

"Shut up! You always did say the stupidest things!" Mai reached around Monk who protested that he didn't want any part in their squabble.

"Always did and always will!" she laughed soon Mai tripped and pulled down Monk with her. Ayako and John smiled and helped the two up. Mai and Will laughed and draped their arms around each other. Will kissed her cheek.

"Oh Mai I missed you! I don't want to say goodbye!"

"It's time to go." Naru interrupted. He and Lin had finished putting the supplies in the van. They obviously didn't want to stay for very long. Will whined and clung to Mai's legs begging for her to stay. Then an idea popped into her head.

"Mr. Shibuya! Would you by any chance be hiring?"

"No! Will!" Mai waved her hands about frantically.

"You don't want to work for him! He's not as polite as he seems in public!" Mai gasped and covered her own mouth when Naru glared at her. Will laughed.

"I take you as the kind of guy that hates paper work." She hit the nail on the head there.

"I've already graduated high school, I'm bi-lingual, and since I already have another source of income you don't even have to pay me."

"What's the catch?" he asked raising an eyebrow suspiciously. Will grinned cheekily.

"No catch, except that I want to be taken on all of your cases with you. I have a particular love for paranormal phenomena. You must have noticed how calmly I reacted to my own home's haunting? I could be a valuable addition to your team. Not to mention my father is a detective that has private access to an incredible database of information." Naru thought it over and nodded.

"We'll set up an appointment where I can interview you personally. If all goes over well you can start next week. Lin will give you the address." He walked away and Will fist pumped in delight.

"Operation 'Seek and Destroy' has begun! Since we'll be working together we can also room together. We'll split the living costs." she grinned at the stunned Mai and smacked her on the back. Mai wondered if Naru always hired people on the fly like that.

"I'll make sure you get your man before the end of the month!" Mai's mouth dropped to the floor and she demanded an explanation as Will walked away to pack her things.

"I don't know if I'm relieved or not." Monk said to Ayako.

"What do you mean?" Mai asked.

"I feel more at ease now that you're not living alone but at the same time that girl only seems to make your situation more dangerous."

"Hey I heard that!" Will shouted from her bedroom window.

"I'm a good girl! You'll see!" she slammed it shut and they could see clothes fly about the room and she angrily packed her suitcase.

"Come on Mai!" Will rushed out of the house, bags in hand, and pulled Mai around the house and into the garage.

"Bye bye Will! Be a good girl and call mommy regularly okay!" Liz said waving her daughter farewell.

"You're okay with her just taking off?" Ayako asked.

"Of course! Doesn't she look cool on that beautiful bike?" Liz said dreamily. A loud engine vroomed and out of the garage a black motorcycle appeared.

"Catch ya later!" Will saluted in farewell. Mai was on the back giggling uncontrollably.

"Mai wai-" before anyone could finish their sentence Will slapped down her helmet shield, revved the engine, and took off in a puff of smoke. Mai waved goodbye behind her. Her friends obviously weren't very pleased with her ride home. She laughed thinking to herself that she liked things just the way they were. For now her past would remain a secret from her friends and from herself. Or would it… **(Love using that line! XD)**

**10:00 pm...**

Will was taking a short cut that her GPS had given her. **(Will's bike is the one of the most expensive models available so it does have a navigation system.)** They were being led through a small neighborhood.

"This place looks familiar!" Mai shouted over the noise of the bike and the wind.

"You think so too! It's been killing me ever since we turned onto this road!" Will shouted back. Mai looked around and her eyes widened.

"Will pull over!" as soon as the bike stopped Mai ripped off her helmet and ran in the direction of a house, looking to be abandoned. Will rode the bike over to Mai and gasped at the sight before her. The lonely white house was scorched from a previous fire and was crumbling away with each passing day.

"This place…" Mai looked down and saw something shining in the rubble. A small silver chain with an oval shaped locket was hidden in the dirt. She cupped it in her hands and clicked it open. Tears ran down Mai's face and she fell to her knees in the dead grass.

"Mai! Are you okay! We should leave!"

"You there! What are you doing!" an officer came out of his home after noticing the headlights of Will's bike and he looked at both girl's suspiciously. His eyes widened and his could feel his knees go weak.

"You… you're that girl!" he pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at Mai.

**Meanwhile...**

"Is that machine working properly? I've never heard of this short cut before." Ayako asked looking around at the small neighborhood that Naru's GPS system had navigated them into.

"This is the best navigation system on the market." Naru stated matter of factually. Gun shots rang out besides them and Lin immediately stopped the car.

"What the hell was that!" Monk looked out the window and basically freaked out when he saw Mai crumpled up on the ground clutching her leg. Will was screaming hysterically at the officer holding the gun in front of them. He re-loaded his gun as the team rushed out of the vehicle.

"Lin!" Naru shouted. Lin didn't hesitate and he clutched the officer's arm forcing him to release the weapon. **(Lin is the muscle of the group ^-^)**

"Mai!" John shouted rushing to her side. Ayako's focus was elsewhere.

"What do you think you're doing!" she was ready to tear the cops head off.

"You shot a child!"

"I was destroying a monster!" he shouted. The man didn't look aggressive at all. In fact, he looked terrified.

"That girl is a monster! A demon!" he shouted over and over again.

"Dear!" a woman, the officer's wife, appeared in her pajamas, completely shocked at the sight before. Other neighbors emerged from their homes as well.

"What's going on here?" a man asked.

"It's that girl! Taniyama! She's back! Get back in your houses!" the officer shouted. The crowd stared at Mai who was now turning pale from the extreme pain in her leg.

"Naru! She needs a doctor!" Ayako shouted. She was one herself but couldn't do anything under the present circumstances. She apologized as she took the scarf she was wearing and tied it tightly above the wound. Mai didn't even react to the extra pain. She was starting to go into shock.

"They let her out…? How is that possible…? It does look like her." The people whispered back and forth.

"In the van! We're taking her to the hospital!" Naru couldn't care less what anyone else said. He picked up Mai himself and briskly walked away. Masako soon followed but noticed a glimmering object fall out of Mai's grasp. She picked it up not knowing it's importance and quickly got in the vehicle. Will followed close behind on her bike.

**11:45 pm...**

"Well I can see this little lady sure is special." The doctor said as he entered the waiting room.

"Is she okay!" Monk said shooting up out of his seat. The doctor laughed and motioned for him to sit back down.

"She's completely fine. No arteries were hit, no bones shattered, and amazingly the tissue damage isn't serious enough to where it won't heal. She's all bandaged up and ready to go. Though I insist you let her rest through the night." Ayako thanked the doctor and went to tell Naru and Lin who were elsewhere. Naru couldn't take the cramped quarters of the waiting room. The others had never seen him so shaken up before. When he had been in the waiting room he couldn't sit still. Will left with him and was outside staring at the moon. Ayako found her first.

"Have you been crying out here by yourself!" Will laughed and whipped her nose on her sleeve. She was a mess. Her black eyeliner and mascara was all down her cheeks and her hair was even crazier than it had been before from running her hands through it.

"Let's clean you up before we find Lin and Naru." Ayako said pulling out some tissues and make-up remover. She was a wearer of make-up herself so it wasn't surprising that she had these things in her purse.

"You can't keep crying while I'm trying to clean you up!" Ayako scolded. Will laughed between her whimpering again and promised not to cry anymore. After she was taken care of she agreed to help Ayako find Naru and Lin. Lin was found outside sorting through some paper work that was left unorganized in the van. He explained that Naru had returned to the waiting room. Ayako groaned as her and Will waited for the elevator doors to open.

"There you are." Monk said walking up to the girls.

"Naru requested to be left alone with Mai. He's been acting really strange..." he looked at the doors that led to Mai's room down the hall. Will eyes lit up mischievously and a big grin spread across her face.

"Oh really? Perhaps operation 'Seek and Destroy' will be unnecessary."

I'm sorry Mai! DX Anywho, the next few chapters should be interesting as they will be providing the long awaited answers to Mai's past! \^0^/ Thank you so much for the reviews! They make me feel special X3... and make me write faster o.o


	5. File 5: Memories Part 2

Disclaimer: Guess what! I still don't own Ghost Hunt... DX Now we shall take a peek into Mai's past! _Italicized_ means that that person is thinking what they are saying rather than voicing their words out loud and :3

…...

**Saturday 29****th****, 11:45 pm...**

"I was worried who was going to pay for the hospital bill since she's an orphan with no insurance but I'm glad she has a nice boy like you watching over her." The doctor said after Naru mentioned that he would pay for the expenses.

"Are you her boyfriend?" he asked handing his clipboard to the nurse. He motioned for her to exit the room and she did as was told.

"No. I'm her employer." Naru said shortly. He sat down next to Mai's bed and watched her sleeping face like he was waiting anxiously for her to wake up. The doctor raised an eyebrow and then sat down in a chair next to him.

"Oh really? I see... what line of work?"

"Ghost Hunting. She is my assistant. I am the owner of Shibuya Psychic Research." the doctor laughed loudly and then apologized.

"I'm sorry it's not that I don't take you seriously. In fact, I myself am very interested in psychic research, but more as a hobby. It's just that I've never met a for real ghost hunter." Naru didn't look away from Mai and he didn't even seem to hear anything of what the doctor was saying. He looked to be lost in thought as he stared at her chest that rose and sank slowly.

"You investigate the unexplainable right? So perhaps you can explain how while I was bandaging her wounds new ones appeared like magic and why she was screaming a crying while on heavy anesthetics?" Naru's eyes widened slowly and he suddenly looked very serious.

"Where? What are you talking about?" he hissed. The doctor pulled back Mai's sheets to show him the burns marks that had appeared on her legs and the cuts that had appeared all over her body. There were only a few that were very deep but regardless of that she still still looked like an Egyptian mummy. Naru eyed her wounds closely and the doctor told him the large cut on her arm had to be given stitches. It had reopened

"_Is that why she never showed up to work on Friday? Was falling down the stairs a total lie?_ So her dreams are causing her... physical harm?" he didn't mean to say this out loud. The doctor shook his head and pulled the sheets back over her.

"So she is a psychic? Makes sense for a ghost hunter's assistant." Naru looked at the doctor momentarily surprised but returned to his usual expression. He walked over to the window and let out a deep sigh.

"Why didn't she tell me?" he whispered in an annoyed tone. Naru couldn't understand this feeling. It felt like frustration but there was many more emotions mixed into it.

"You've lost someone important before haven't you?" Naru's eyes grew wide and he turned to see the doctor who walked up behind to lay a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I thought that when you burst in here with that girl in your arms. I'm sorry. I know what it's like to loose a loved one. That girl must be very special to you." Naru didn't know how to answer that question. It seemed the question of how he felt about Mai had never crossed his mind.

"She might wake up soon. The drugs we gave her don't seem to have much affect on her body. Another odd factor about this girl. Anyway, I'll leave you alone with her. If you need anything call the nurse with the emergency button attached to the bed. She'll show up soon to give Mai another dose of Morphine." he closed the door and smiled.

"Ah young love..."

**12:05 am...**

Mai smiled in her sleep and moved her head slightly so it was facing Naru. He heard her move and looked up from staring at the floor. He felt relief and a sense comfort wash over him when he saw her smile turn into a grin.

"Naru... you jerk..." she murmured. He smirked and saw that her hand had slid slightly of the bed. He was about to slid it back under her covers when she squeezed his fingers tightly.

"Don't leave... okay...?" she opened her eyes slightly and Naru removed his finger from her grasp.

"Mai... how do you feel?" he asked quietly. She opened her eyes wider and looked at Naru, then around the room, and then at Naru again. Before she could leap up in surprise he placed his hand on her forehead and on her stomach. She felt all the muscles in her body tense when he touched her and she tried to fight back her blushing.

"Idiot." he said sitting back down removing his hands. She pouted and turned her head. How long had he been sitting there, she wondered.

"I think my medicine is wearing off." she said uncomfortably.

"The nurse will be back to give you more soon." he explained. She moved around a little and sighed.

"It's so uncomfortable lying down like this. Can you call her so she can adjust the bed?" Mai asked. She looked surprised as Naru did it himself. She smiled and asked how he knew how to do that.

"I've been in the hospital quite a few times before." he explained sitting back down.

"Oh... um Naru...?" she was about to ask how long he had been there but silenced by his sudden cold glare.

"W-what...?"

"Why didn't you tell me that your dreams were causing you bodily injuries?" he asked impatiently. Mai's mouth dropped and she wondered how he had discovered her secret.

"Numerous injuries appeared while the doctor was taking care of you. He told me that you were screaming in your sleep. Also the previous injuries you said were most likely the ghost's fault became worse. You have stitches in your arm." he answered her question before she could even ask it. Now she didn't know what to say. Naru became very serious whenever anything had to do with psychic powers and she could tell he was very angry with her at the moment.

"Well? Are you going to say anything or did you forget how to speak?" Mai glared at him and turned her head away.

"Just for that I'm not saying anything!" she remained silent and wondered if he had left. When she turned around instead she saw him dangling a shiny silver object in her face.

"Ms. Hara found this. You dropped it." Mai gasped and snatched the locket from his hands carefully cradling it in her fingers. It wasn't covered in mud anymore so she figured someone must have cleaned it. She stared at it for a while and recalled what had happened the moment she picked it up before she had been shot.

"Naru... I'm scared..." Naru who was just about to leave the room stopped and turned around slightly. Mai was shaking and hiding the lockets in her cupped hands. He moved to her side and sat back in his chair.

"You'll have to be more specific. What are you scared of?" he didn't realize how serious the situation was so the thought of being nice didn't occur to him. Mai tried to hold back tears but she couldn't bear to hold the locket anymore and she thrust it into Naru's hands.

"I-I can't look at it... If I do... I-I-I don't know what'll happen." Naru was becoming more and more curious by the second. Now that he thought about it he didn't know anything about Mai. All he cared about was that she could do her job. He never did conduct a background search on her.

"What do you mean 'happen?' Mai, what are you hiding?" his voice was a lot softer now as he tried to ease the information out of her. She breathed in shakily.

"I'm scared that, if I touch it... my memories will come back. When I touched it before... I saw something familiar that I never wanted to see again." she explained. She wasn't keeping herself together very well and small tears would escape her eyes as she spoke.

"My recent dreams have been about my past. A long time ago... something bad happened. I forgot what it was but now it feels like my bodies trying to remember... and I don't want to!" She needed comfort more than anything right then but Naru, being the scientist he was, wished to search for a solution to the problem.

"There have been cases before with latent psychics in which their visions would not stop until they solved the problem. The way I see it you have two options if you want this to stop. Either allow yourself to recall all of your memories or find away to give yourself another case of amnesia. A forceful hit to the head would work well enough." Mai stopped her crying immediately and stared at Naru dumbfounded. Did he just make a joke? She couldn't help but smile when he raised an eyebrow wondering what she was staring at. She rubbed her red burning eyes.

"I think I have enough damage today thank you. But... do you really think remembering will help?" Naru nodded.

"Then... when I look at the locket... will you stay here with me?" she blushed and looked away. She felt her face turn even redder when Naru held her hand.

"Are you ready?" he held up the locket and she closed her eyes will he snapped it open. When she opened them she also opened the door to her past and to new possibilities.

**9 years ago...**

"Bye bye Will! Come back soon!"Mai said as she hugged her best friend. Will and her mother were going to go on a small vacation with Mr. Johnson. He said the main reason he invited them was because he had business in the area and there was an amusement park close by that Will would enjoy but Will knew better than that.

"Guess what Mai." she whispered in her friends ear.

"Mr. Johnson and mommy are gonna get married." Mai gasped and dragged Will away from their conversing parents.

"How do you know! Did he propose to Aunt Lizzy?" Will shook her head.

"No, not yet. But I did see them kissing and cuddling on the couch last night." Will explained with beaming eyes. Mai clapped happily.

"You're gonna have a daddy Will!" she squealed quietly.

"Maybe someday your mama will fall in love and we'll both have daddies again!" Will squealed back. Mai nodded and waved goodbye as Liz called her daughter to the car.

"I'll bring you back a souvenir 'kay!" Mai waved goodbye as the car drove out of sight. Her mother led her back inside for some snacks. As Mai sat and ate her plate of carrot sticks and pear slices her mother suddenly slid to the ground clutching her head.

"Mommy!" Ayame motioned that she was fine and that she only had a light dizzy spell. Mai still looked worried and watched her mother carefully as she exited the room to go do laundry. Ayame added the soap to the load of clothes and watched the water start to fill the machine. She sat down against the wall and stared up at the ceiling.

"Not all visions spell the future... I won't let you get my baby girl..."

**Later that night...**

Ayame heard her daughter's blood curdling scream echo through the house. It was only a matter of seconds before she was in her room. Mai was sitting in her bed and, when she saw her mother, held out her arms wanting a hug.

"Shh... It's okay now. I promise." she said as she stroked Mai's trembling back.

"Th-they g-got you m-mom… Th-there w-was blood e-e-everywhere…" Mai sobbed. Her mother felt a wave of nausea come over her but she swallowed back her feelings and allowed Mai to sleep in her room that night. Mai feel back asleep before Ayame had even finished changing her wet pajamas. Her mother looked at her daughter and then looked at the phone. It rang four times before he finally picked up.

"Hello?" Mr. Johnson responded. Being a detective it wasn't surprising he was up late.

"It's Ayame." he sounded surprised by the seriousness in her voice.

"What are you doing up this late? What's wrong? Something sounds off about you."

"I'm sure Liz has blabbered to you about our 'abilities.'"Mr Johnson chuckled and confirmed her suspicions. He never really did believe what Liz said though as she never could give him proof.

"I had a disturbing vision. They aren't always right but just in case I wanted to call you."

"What can I do for you?"

"If anything happens to me I want you to make sure my daughter is kept safe. I want her taken far away from here. If you have to transport her out of the country then do so. That's all I wanted to say... Oh! And don't tell Liz!"

"But why-"

"Just don't! Please promise me you'll do what I've asked of you!" Mr Johnson agreed though he didn't fully understand. He thought she was just being paranoid over a silly little dream. He didn't know that the next day he would be thrust into a case bigger than he had ever faced before.

**The next morning...**

Ayame draped a silver locket around Mai's neck. And kissed her forehead before sending her daughter off to school. She knew the neighbors would watch over he daughter as she walked the short distance to the school building. They were quite fond of the little girl and she was a favorite among the elderly couples living there. Some figuratively adopting her as their granddaughter. Mai waved and skipped away. She snapped the locket open and inside was a picture of her mother holding Mai when she was a baby.

"We'll always be together. Love, mommy." Mai read the words engraved inside aloud. She smiled and ran the words through her mind over and over again on her way to school.

**After school...**

Mai skipped down the sidewalk awaiting her mother's warm embrace. She couldn't wait to get home because her snack today would be black milk tea and sugar cookies. **(Most amazing snack ever!)** the lights were all off in the house and Mai had a bad feeling as she approached. When she reached the door there was a faint metallic smell in the air. There was a voice inside her that screamed for her to runaway but instead she turned the old doorknob and slowly opened the door. Thick warm blood was splattered all over the hallway. Her mother's body parts were disembodied and lay in a sloppy heap before her. The overwhelming irony smell of blood filled Mai's head making her dizzy. She couldn't understand what her eyes were seeing. She didn't know why her mother lay dead. She didn't know why her mother had such a horrible expression on her face. She didn't know why the man looming over her looked so evil...

**Unknown...**

In the darkness of the basement they tore away her clothes and belted her against the chair. She struggled but was slapped across the face, ordered not to move. Large icy needles where shoved into her arms and abdomen. Attached to them were wires that sent electrical waves into her system. She screamed in agony as her insides felt like they were being set ablaze. A knife was used to carve strange symbols into her body, then water and oil was poured over her. She could barely hear the voices being blocked out by her own screams. They spoke strange tongues and threw water, oil, and other strange herbs and devices into the air. Strange creatures appeared in the blackness of the room. They danced around and laughed at Mai as she screamed, taunting her, cursing her. The rituals and pain continued endlessly. Until a much stronger creature appeared. His hulking form took up most of the room and he saw the tortured girl sitting in the chair. Clasping her small form in his claws he slowly and painfully entered, possessing her. Mai was to weak to fight back and as her spirit was suppressed strange desires overwhelmed her mind. She broke the leather belts and the chair that restrained her. Ripping the needles out from her body she rushed towards the man who was controlling the electrocuting machine. She shoved the needle through his mouth and out the back of his head, pinning him to the wall. She looked at the other two who turned to run away and smiled. The doors locked tightly and they were trapped inside. They screamed for salvation as she slowly approached.

**Morning...**

The police and fire department surrounded the house. The fire was uncontrollable and the flames were unaffected by water. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.

"Why didn't she call us sooner?" Liz sobbed as Mr. Johnson tried to lead her and her daughter away form the scene.

"Look!" Will screamed. "It's Mai!" the little girl, wearing only a sheet she had found, stumbled out of the inferno. She was covered in dried blood and had huge gashes covering her whole body. In her left hand was a small steak knife. Medics rushed at her but something was of about the girl and they stopped short, about a two feet away. She gripped the knife white knuckled and slowly one of the medics approached. Mai jerked like a trap had been sprung and swung the blade at the man.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed. "It's evil! You must stay away! I don't want to kill!" Mai took the blade she was holding and repeatedly cut her arm like she was trying to drain herself of the life she hated. Will was somehow able to make it through the caution tape and grabbed the knife from Mai before anyone could stop her. She threw it on the ground and Mai watched it slide away on the pavement.

"What are you doing!" Will screamed at her furiously. She took one look at her best friend and realized the girl she used to know wasn't there anymore. All that was left was fear and a desire to die. Mai turned to run back into the fire but the man that had been injured by her before gabbed her by the arms.

"No! I can't live anymore! Just let me die! Please!" she screamed over and over again as she was restrained. A female paramedic attached a breathing device to her face and soon the heavy anesthetics stopped Mai's struggling. Will watched in tears as Mai was lifted into the ambulance.

**A month later...**

"Are you sure this is what is bets for Mai, dear?" Liz asked watching the little girl being introduced to her new doctors.

"It may seem like a bad thing but these people have been well informed of what happened to Mai. They will treat her with the best medicine the world can offer. And someday... maybe we can see that beautiful smile again." he aid this looking at Will who began to cry.

"It's all my fault! I shouldn't have left!" she wailed. Mr. Johnson shook his head and patted her on the head.

"It's is not your fault Will. You can only blame the people who did this to Mai. Don't worry, you'll get to play with her again one day." Will looked at his smile and began to cry even more, latching onto his shoulder. Liz and him sighed and he picked up her small body.

"Goodbye Mai! I promise that you'll get better! And then we can play on the swings again! Just like last week!" Will before Mr. Johnson left the building with her. The doctors waved goodbye and a female woman kneeled down to Mai.

"You're a very special girl. My name is Dr. Kodo. What is yours?" she asked slowly.

"I don't know..." Mai didn't make eye contact with anyone anymore. She only stared blankly at nothing. Since the day of the fire the police investigation determined that Mai and her mother had been victims of a strange occult practice. They had found remains of the men whose remains were unidentifiable. Their bodies had been mangled and their flesh stripped away by the fire. They found that they had multiple stab wounds though and they assumed that in self defense Mai had killed them. In the end the court decided that Mai was no murderer and that she had been a victim of torture and rape. **(Rape didn't actually happen. They assumed that because it is common in those kind of situations.)** Mai had lost what little sanity she had left and by the request of her current guardian, Liz, was put in the guardianship of a mental facility. There the doctors would work with her carefully each day and she would be put on surveillance to make sure she didn't try anything suicidal. Men in white clothes led Mai to her room. Over the course of time Dr. Kodo had diagnosed Mai with Functional Amnesia. (This means it was like a self defense mechanism and Mai did it to repress her memories.) She didn't remember who she as, how her mother had died, or why she was n the clinic. Mai had to learn how to function among people again without fear and after four years, in the springtime, she was released. Her life story was now that her parents died of natural cause when she was young and that she had been in the clinic because of an accident that caused amnesia many years ago. She was sent to live far away from her old home with Dr. Kodo's younger sister, who was a school teacher.

**Present time, 12:08 am...**

The visions ended in a matter of minutes in real time and Mai didn't move for a few moments. She was surprised by the sudden flow of memories but what surprised her the most was that she didn't feel like crying. She giggled and rubbed the back of her neck.

"I knew it was something along those lines." she sighed. "But I've cried so much about it that I guess I don't have any more tears to cry." she laughed but then noticed Naru had his face hidden in one hand and the hand that held hers was trembling. She didn't understand at first but slowly realized what had happened.

"You... you didn't see it to... did you?" she gasped when he stood up, sat down on her bed, and clutched her in his arms. He was careful not to hug her too tightly though because of her injuries. Mai's mind was in a panic and she couldn't figure out what was going on. She felt something warm and wet on her shoulder, like little droplets.

_"Naru... is he... is he crying?"_ she screamed in her head.

"N-Naru I'm sorry that you saw that. I didn't mean for it to-"

"Shut up. Idiot. I'm not crying for me. I'm crying for you." he said. He obviously was frustrated with himself for showing such vulnerability but Mai wasn't thinking about that. Soon tears were rolling down her face.

"Idiot. Why are you crying." she held him closely and could barely get out her words.

"I'm s-so happy..." he let her go and glared at her. His eyes were a little red but other than that he didn't show any signs of tears.

"You're happy? Are you really that stupid?" Mai laughed and smiled. He sighed and only shook his head, sitting back down in his chair. The nurse entered soon after that.

"Ms. Taniyama. How are you feeling?" she asked setting down her clipboard. Mai told her that the painkillers had worn off and quickly the nurse worked to give her another dose.

"Don't take anything she says seriously Mr. Shibuya. The drugs can make people say some crazy things at times." the nurse laughed before leaving. Mai dropped her hands over Naru's and giggled. He thought about leaving but then thought about what she would do if she was alone.

"Naru... what do you feel... towards me?" she asked clumsily. His muscles tightened and he looked at her silly smiling face.

"Naru is my special person... the most special..." she grinned and held his hand tightly, looking into his shocked eyes.

"I was so happy that you didn't run away... I was scared you wouldn't like me." (Mai sounds a little tipsy while saying this but I don't really know how to type that so just imagine she sounds tipsy XD) "Naru is my most special person..."

"Mai..."

"Naru... I love you... What about you?"

…...

Maybe I should have added horror to the genre... I feel so skilled after writing this chapter oT.T/ But that's partially because I typed it with five of my fingers super glued together… Beware the opening of a new super glue bottle… it may seem all helpful and convenient but deep down it is a tool for evil! EVILLLLLLLLL! Anywho… Rate and Review please :3


	6. File 6: Secrets in the Halls Part 1

Disclaimer: Oh my gosh I HATE writer's block! DX Forgive me for not updating for so long :c

PS: Thank you so much for the reviews! Also I do not own Ghost Hunt :p

…...

**October 21st , Sunday, 3:47 pm...**

_Dear Journal,_

_ It's been three weeks since all of my memories have returned. I left the hospital the morning after my incident and Will watched over me for a week before I returned to work or to school. The wound wasn't that bad actually. The doctor said that the injury was worse than just a grazing but not as bad as if the bullet had gone completely through my leg... yeah I didn't really understand either. All I cared about wad that it would only take about two months to heal. I decided not to press charges against the policeman who attacked me after his wife had called. She said that they would pay for the hospital bills but then I found out that the officer was mentally ill and I refused her. I didn't plan to press charges anyway. It has also been three weeks since Naru had revealed that sweet and tender side to me. Since then I feel our relationship has changed... every day feels like a dream and I feel soon that maybe... just maybe... romance will blossom... NOT! LIKE THAT WOULD EVER HAPPEN! IN FACT, HE'S EVEN WORSE THAN BEFORE! HE DOESN'T EVEN SPEAK TO ME NOW EXCEPT TO ASK FOR HIS TEA! Which I guess isn't that big of a change... AND HE WON'T EVEN MAKE EYE CONTACT ANYMORE! IT'S LIKE HE HATES ME OR SOMETHING! _

"Whoa... lots of caps you got there." Will peered over Mai's shoulder. She sighed and closed her journal, sliding it back into her purse.

"Is it about Mr. Shibuya?" Mai snapped the pencil and half and then slammed her head on the desk.

"My pencil!" Will gasped trying to tape it back together.

"It's just so frustrating... I don't think I'll ever understand him." Mai groaned.

"Well if things don't work out we always have each other right? I think being a Lesbian is in right now."

"No!" Mai jolted up holding her arms in an "x" position. Will laughed and was about to say something else when the office door slightly creaked open. The two girls saw a little girl with a head of curly blonde hair peak in. She quickly hid her face back behind the door when she saw them.

"_What's this? My eyes must be playing tricks on me!_" Will fake gasped. The little girl quietly listened upon hearing a language she could understand. The girls silently giggled when her curls gave away her position behind the door.

"_That can't possibly be a lil' girl could it? I've never seen one so cute before! She must be a doll, right Mai?_" Mai nodded and slowly opened the door. Will knelt down smiled at the curly top.

"_What's a lovely lil' princess like yourself doin' here? What's your name?_" Will asked. **(I forgot to mention that Will has a bit of a southern accent. She lived in Georgia for seven years.)** The little girl blushed and twiddled her fingers while staring at her nicely polished silver dress shoes. She had a frilly green dress on with a matching bow atop her head that neatly pulled her curls away from her light blue eyes.

"_I'm Melva. Is big brother here?_" the girls couldn't help but squeal at her tiny raspy voice.

"She's so cute!" Mai cooed. "Ask her if she'd like something to eat or drink."

"_Would you like some tea and cookies Ms. Melva?_" Melva eyes beamed and she nodded her head vigorously, her curls bouncing up and down. They sat her down on a small pillow so she could be at the right height to reach her snacks from the table. Apparently the girls loud fussing over the foreign little girl was disturbing the two cave dwellers.

"Mai wha- Melva?" Naru basically shouted. The little girl hopped up and ran to Naru, clutching him tightly around his right leg.

"_Big brother!_" she squealed, begging to be picked up. Lin by now had emerged and stood there dumbfounded, as did Mai and Will.

"_Melva what are you doing here?_"

"_Mama said I could see you._" she smiled as he picked her up. She giggled and snuggled her face between his neck and shoulder.

"_Mother? But where-_"

"Right here!" a chipper voice sang. A woman, roughly in her late thirties, entered carrying two heavily loaded gift bags. She placed the bags delicately on the couch and squeezed Naru in her arms.

"My handsome little boy is growing up so fast! You've gotten so tall! Soon you'll have a girlfriend and then I can finally look forward to grandchildren!" the woman spoke Japanese as she felt it would be rude to speak English around people who couldn't understand her. Mai was searching for words to describe what she was seeing. Both her and Will looked at Lin who looked especially distressed. He seemed to be pondering whether or not he could sneak peacefully into his office unharmed.

"Is this Mai?" the woman asked looking over Mai up and down.

"My name is Luella. It is a pleasure to meet you!" she held out her hand and Mai shook it also introducing herself.

"You're the girl that isn't afraid to fight words with my son, isn't that right?" Mai laughed nervously not knowing exactly how to respond to that.

"A true woman! I respect such a bold girl! Besides that boy deserves to be cut down a bit. Those good looks and smarts have pumped him full of so much hot air I'm afraid he might float away!" Luella laughed. Mai grinned devilishly at Naru whose icy glare was beginning to scare his little sister, still cradled on his arms.

"Oh! I almost forgot! I already called all of your little friends sweetie. That way I won't have to explain things twice." Naru's glare went from icy to blistering with fury.

"You what?" he asked with malice in his tone.

"Knock knock!" Monk said as he and the entire gang came through the already open door.

"Ah! How delightful! Here right on time!"

"Mother... Does father know about this?" Naru asked putting Melva down. He was trying to keep as calm as possible. That didn't last long.

"Of course not!" Will laughed as Naru's eye visibly twitched.

"Now then! Who here wouldn't mind going on a little trip with me and my son?" Luella asked the group.

"A trip to where?" Ayako asked looking at Naru.

"England." Mai dropped one of the tea cups she was holding and luckily Will caught it before it shattered on the floor.

"Mother, may I speak with you privately?" Naru motioned her into his office. The door clicked close and immediately the team began whispering to one another.

"Was that really Naru's mom!" Ayako whispered in disbelief. The others shrugged and then began to debate whether or not they were really going to England or not.

"_Uncle Lin!_" Melva smiled performing a slight bow of respect. Lin smiled slightly and bowed back to the little girl.

"_Aunt Mao told me to say 'hi' and to tell you that she wants to see you._" Lin nodded before going back into his office.

"So this is Naru's little sister?" Monk asked smiling brightly at the girl.

"Must be tough living with that guy." Ayako sympathized. Will translated and Melva giggled. "_Brother is a good big brother. He reads me books and has tea parties with me!_" Will burst out laughing and told them what she had said. Melva didn't understand what was so funny but that didn't matter anyway because her mother and brother had just reentered the room.

"Well then it's settled! Pack your bags! We're going to Chester!"

**October 23rd, Tuesday, 8:00 pm...**

"Sweet land!" Will cried after she exited the plane, dragging Mai with her. They had finally landed in Manchester, England after the long twelve hour flight. Naru was also relieved to get off the plane. He sat inside the limousine his mother had prepared for them and sighed, leaning back against the red leather interior.

"You okay Naru?" Mai asked. He didn't respond. Will patted her on the shoulder when she saw Mai clenching her fists angrily.

"We got about an hour or so till we get there. Why don't you just rest a bit?" Mai nodded and soon drifted off to sleep.

ooo

_"Hmm...? What's this place...?" Mai stood before a gorgeous mansion. It looked like a place where a noble in the Victorian ages would have lived. Dream Naru appeared besides her and looked upon the building with a big smile._

_ "Haven't seen you in a while." Mai grinned._

_ "Do you remember this place?" he asked not taking his eyes off the building. Mai took a closer look at the building which had suddenly become much closer and shook her head._

_ "I don't think so." he walked towards a large oak tree near the far end of the mansion. It only took a few steps despite how vast the yard was._

_ "What about this tree? Close your eyes and place your hand here." she touched the thick trunk of the tree and felt a slightly warm pulse._

_ "This tree... I remember this... he was my first love." Mai giggled and the dream Naru smiled nodding._

_ "You're next case will be very difficult, Mai. Be careful... be wary of secrets and be wary of who you believe."_

ooo

"Mai! Wake up! You gotta see this!" Will shook her best friend. When Mai opened her eyes she was speechless. Not because the mansion was beautiful or because the scenery was breath taking under the full moon, but because the mansion was the same mansion form her dream. They were greeted by two maids and a butler who began to take their luggage in. Luella escorted them in but Mai strayed away to the oak tree. She couldn't help but want to lean up against it like she had that one time. But then she realized something.

"_If this really is that mansion then does that mean that Naru... but if that is true, that means he's been lying to me... to everyone._" she thought.

"What are you doing here?" Naru interrupted her thoughts. He had noticed she had been behaving strangely since she saw the mansion. She shook herself back to reality and looked at him surprised.

"So you're talking to me now? Have you forgiven me for whatever I did to make you so upset your highness?" she asked with an annoyed tone.

"Come inside. It's cold." he turned and walked away leaving her sitting there frustrated as usual.

"Keep talking like that and I won't be able to tell you and Lin apart." she mumbled. Inside was just as beautiful as outside. The furnishing didn't look as old but it still held that antique theme.

"Why am I not surprised that Naru lives in a place like this?" Ayako wondered aloud.

"Because he acts just like a spoiled rich kid." Monk chuckled. It was late in the night so everyone decided to skip dinner and go straight to bed so work could be started in the morning. Mai and Will got to share a room.

"It'll be like a sleepover!" Will squealed. Monk and Ayako said goodnight and entered the same room much to Mai's surprise.

"How are you gonna nab a man when you freak out just by seeing that?" Will rolled her eyes.

"They haven't been dating that long! Only like two and half months!" she whispered as she slid her suitcase under her bed.

"I just hope they don't get too loud. I don't wanna wake up to Ayako's scre-"

"Okay! Okay! That's enough!" Mai stopped her. Will chuckled.

"Screams of ecstasy." she whispered in Mai's ear.

"No!" Mai cried out collapsing on her bed.

"You're hopeless. What are you gonna do when you and Naru are dating and his hormones start to stir?" Mai blushed redder than a freshly ripe strawberry but then she just looked depressed.

"Me and Naru are never going to be like that." Will immediately smacked her with her pillow.

"Don't give up so easily! The stars point towards a bright future!" Will rummaged through her suitcase and slapped down a stapled stack of papers.

"The stars...?"

"Naru was born on September 19th which means he is a Virgo! You were born on July 3rd which means you are a Cancer! Using the magical tool called the internet and other resources I have determined that you two are a perfect match!" Mai sat in awe as she discovered her friends obsession with the Zodiac signs.

"Not only is your sexual chemistry at a high but your romantic compatibility is unparalleled!" she went on and on about how she was going to make sure Mai was hooked up before the end of the case.

"Will I think you may be taking this a little to seriously." Mai laughed.

"Nonsense! Love is one of life's greatest perks and I know for a fact that Naru feels deeply for you!" Mai laughed and Will smacked her once again with the pillow.

"I'm sorry it's just that he completely ignores me and criticizes me it's just too funny to imagine him even liking me." Will sighed annoyed.

"Don't you get it? That's exactly how I know he is totally into you! Virgo men are way out of touch with their emotions and they tend to avoid anything that confuses them. Being the emotional Cancer that you are, you puzzle him and he is attracted to your ability to express yourself so openly. This frustrates him and he can't understand why so he avoids you!"

"Alright, do you also have an answer for why he teases me so much?" Mai wasn't believing a single word of Will's but she listened just the same.

"He's a boy. If they can get a reaction out of a girl they'll do whatever it takes. All boys are like that no matter their age." Will stated.

"Haha! Maybe I should start calling you the 'Love Doctor.'" Mai giggled. Will nodded saying that had a nice ring to it.

"Well then first things first! A good way to attract a Virgo man is to show off your classy and delicate sides. Nothing sexy but nothing too cute either. I took the liberty of buying you a new wardrobe and switching out your clothes before we left."

"You what?" Mai gasped. She quickly unzipped her suitcase and saw that it was filled with new clothes neatly folded. Some still had the tags on them.

"Tomorrow you shall wear a lovely pale pink dress with brown boots. I have other accessories we can decide on later. I shall give you French Tips to compliment the lady like aura you'll be giving off as well. Oh! And I also stuffed three boxes of Earl Grey tea bags in all of your clothes."

"Let me guess... Because it's Naru's favorite?" Mai asked picking up a satin nightgown that she would have to wear instead of her usual pajamas.

"Yes! The citrus scent in that tea is very similar to Clementine oranges which are a common favorite among Virgos." Mai sighed and slipped on her night wear before slipping under her covers.

"Just remember to act as you always do. The little extras we're doing are just to awaken Naru's inner desires." Will snapped the lights off and went to bed, eagerly awaiting the coming morning. Mai couldn't help but feel excited as well. She wasn't particularity pleased that Will had switched out all her clothes but she knew she meant the best and that made Mai feel special. Tomorrow was going to be a big day.

**October 24th, Wednesday, 3:00 am...**

Mai got up out of bed and shuffled to the door. She was dying of thirst and luckily she remembered where the restroom was. She cupped her hands underneath the faucet and when hey were full, sloppily took a sip. She heard a small creak and turned off the faucet. She peeked quietly into the hall and saw a girl standing there. If Mai remembered correctly that way led in the direction of Luella's room. The girl stood with her back to Mai. She was trembling.

"_No... I can't..._" she whispered just loudly enough so Mai's ears could hear. **(I never explained this but Mai can understand English just fine. She only has difficulty with pronunciation. It makes the story easier for me to write this way. ^^;)** the girl flinched and quickly went back inside her room. Mai wondered if she had actually saw a person or a ghost. The girl was pale enough to be one. She didn't look well at all and Mai had a very bad feeling. She had difficulty getting back to sleep after that.

…...

This chapter was kinda boring so I apologize for that. But rest assured it'll get exciting real soon! XD Anywho, rate and review please! Seeing those reviews fuels my brain and makes me want to work faster oT.T/


	7. File 7: Secrets in the Halls Part 2

Disclaimer: Reviews, Reviews, I love reviews! Hooray ^-^ This chapter was especially fun to write ;) Anywho, I don't own Ghost Hunt o.o _Italicized_ means either someone is thinking or speaking English.

…...

**October 24****th****, Wednesday, 9:00 am...**

"Whoa! What the occasion?" Monk asked in awe when Mai walked in for breakfast. She wore a pale pink long sleeve dress that was form fitting until it reached her waist, where it flowed out gracefully to right above the knee. A pair of brown low heel leather boots, Mai's silver locket, and silver statement ring topped off the whole outfit. Will had also styled Mai's hair in such a way that instead of flipping outwards, like it usually did, it curled inward to the shape of her face. She only wore a little blush and mascara because Will said Virgo's preferred girls who stayed natural.

"Mai is my test subject. I've been thinking about doing something along the lines of fashion when I get older so I'm practicing." Will explained. Actually she was lying through her teeth but Mai didn't care. The truth would only made her look even more ridiculous, she thought.

"You look very nice." John said with a smile as he pulled out chairs for the two girls. Just because he was chaste priest didn't mean he couldn't be a gentleman.

"What a pretty little bird you are Mai!" Luella said gazing dreamily at her attire. Mai thanked her but then noticed that Lin and Naru were absent from the table.

"Looking for my son?"

"Where'd he go?"

"I told him what had been happening and he immediately got to work. I insisted on him joining us but that boy is such a wet blanket... honestly. What's a mother to do?" Luella sighed. The maids served them and the butler, Mr. Harrison, approached Luella with a look of worry.

"As you thought she wasn't feeling well. I sent food up to her room and encouraged her to rest." he explained before taking his leave.

"Is someone sick?" Will asked taking a bite of her blueberry muffin. Luella nodded.

"Mao has been feeling a little anemic recently. She'll join us later. I'm sure you'll adore her just as much as I do."

"I hate to break up the happy atmosphere but I'm curious about what we're dealing with here." Ayako said.

"Oh good! I was wondering how I was going to bring that up!" Luella laughed and took a sip of tea before telling the story.

"Lately Melva has been seeing something strange around the house. My husband is absent at this time on business so I called Kazuya here to take care of it for me."

"So you're not a Ghost Hunter?" Mai asked surprised.

"Oh heavens no!" Luella gasped. "Just the thought of a haunting give me the willies! My husband's family are the para-psychological researchers. I just married into all of this." she sighed wearily.

"Anyways, there's been a white wolf that's been stalking about outdoors. It isn't an animal because it fades away and will appear on the opposite side of the building. Melva said it touched her once, didn't you deary?" Melva nodded.

"Does it scare her?" Monk asked seriously.

"Not exactly. She said the only time it scared her was when it appeared looking in through her bedroom window. There has been no signs of viscous behavior towards us or anything else. But I did see it once. And I can tell you right now I don't like it at all. There is something very evil controlling that creature. I can feel it." right on cue Naru entered the room and said for the team to follow him. Mai perked up waiting for him to notice her. He gave her a glance that lasted for half a second and didn't look back.

"_You jerk!_" she screamed in her head. Melva hopped down out of her seat and grasped Naru's pant leg tightly.

"_You promised!_" she pouted.

"_I'm working now Melva. We can play later._"

"_No! I want to play tea party now! You promised!_" Will snickered and received a bone chilling glare of course.

"_If you wait qu__ietly for me with mother I promise to also read you a book later too, alright?_" Melva beamed with happiness and shook her head "yes." Naru received a loving hug and then went to her mother to go out shopping for new dresses and shoes. The others exited the room teasing him as they went and soon Mai and Naru followed.

"I think it's sweet that you read to your little sister. You're a good brother, Naru." he turned around almost instantly and looked a little stunned.

"I can understand English just fine. Speaking it is a different matter though..." she sighed depressed. Then it was her turn to be stunned.

"_D-did Naru just... blush...?_" she couldn't double check as he had already vanished through the door.

**11:00 am...**

Mai went about the house setting up cameras and taking temperatures as Naru had requested. There were certain rooms that he forbade her from entering though. His being one of them. She had walked past it at least ten times and it was absolutely killing her not to go in. she stopped and stared at the door.

"You're pure evil... It would have been better of you just to tell me not to enter this room! It makes it so much more tempting just knowing it's yours!" Mai shouted at the door.

"Then why don't you just go in?" Mai jumped and dropped all off the extension cords she was carrying.

"Will! You scared the crap outta me!"

"That's unfortunate." Mai groaned and went to work coiling all the cords. If Naru saw this mess she would certainly receive an insult of some sort.

"But seriously. This is a good chance to get some dirt on Mr. Modesty. I wouldn't pass up this kind of opportunity if my life depended on it." Mai shook her head remembering what Masako had said a long time ago.

"Naru is so prideful that he'd hate having anyone having any hold over him." she stated. Will sighed and walked away.

"You sure have gotten mature. How boring..." Mai smiled at her indirect compliment. She entered the next room and placed the cords neatly in the corner near the door. This room was large and spacious with a large chalk board built into the wall. It was most likely used for presentations. Naru's father was a professor after all. She took on of the cords and connected to the camera she had placed previously in the center of the room. But suddenly she felt really dizzy and soon darkness overtook her.

ooo

_"What's your name?" five year old Mai asked one of the two dark haired twins. The other one was called Eugene by his parents but he said that his Japanese name was Kiyoshi. His brother wasn't so easy to give__ up information and sat in the chair reading a book. The book itself was much larger than him and little Mai could only see his feet hovering over the edge of the large comforter. She pouted and wondered why he didn't like her so much._

_ "Mai, are you in here?" Luella entered her son's room and awed when she saw the children._

_ "Your daughter is so cute Ms. Taniyama! You should just stay here with us!" Ayame laughed and didn't know if that would be such a good idea._

_ "Mai can be a handful at times. As can Will as I'm sure you noticed."_

_ "This place is huge!" they heard another five year old girl squeal excitedly in the distance. Luella laughed and looked at Gene who was showing Mai the big tree outside telling her the story of how it was planted._

_ "Mother said that grandfather planted that for grandmother. They said that one day their love would be just as strong as the tree when it grew up." he said with a smile. Mai's big eyes were filled with wonder and she looked again at the other twin wondering if he had heard. He still was hidden behind the book he had been reading._

_ "Oliver doesn't seem to be very fond of Mai." Ayame frowned. Luella assured her it was the opposite. She pointed out that the book he was reading was upside down. There was no way a six year old could read something so complicated anyway. Ayame giggled behind her hand._

_ "Oliver just doesn't know what to do with such a cute little girl following him around all the time." Luella laughed she snatched the book up from her son much to his dismay._

_ "You introduce yourself properly Oliver." she scolded. He pouted angrily but his mother's glare was far more powerful than his so he slid off the chair and told Mai his name regretfully._

_ "Oreevah?" she tried to pronounce it but utterly failed. He winced at her bad English. He tried to correct her but she was stuck in her ways and called his name happily over and over again._

_ "Oreevah! Oreevah! That's a pretty name!" she said. Oliver glared and turned his back to her._

_ "It's not pretty, it's handsome." he corrected unhappily. Martin, Luella's husband entered the room._

_ "Ms. Taniyama. The meeting is about to start. I would like to begin with a demonstration of your abilities if that is alright?" Ayame nodded and left the room but not before kissing her daughter on the forehead. She looked at the twins._

_ "Take good care of my little girl okay boys?"_

_ "Yes ma'am." Gene replied. He elbowed his brother when he didn't respond. Oliver glared at him and gave Ayame a slight nod. The butler escorted the children outside to play including Will who had been forced outside by her mother._

_ "Would you like something to eat or drink Ms. Mai?" Mr. Harrison asked Mai. She had her eyes fixed on Oliver who was staring at the flowers. He looked upset that he wasn't allowed to listen at the meeting his father had arranged._

_ "No thank you." she said politely. She ran over to Oliver's side and smiled without saying a word._

_ "What?" he asked annoyed._

_ "Do you wanna play?"_

_ "No."_

_ "Why not?" she followed him as he wandered further into the flower patch._

_ "Why would I wanna play with a stupid girl like you?" Mai gasped and instead of crying like Oliver thought she would she punched him the arm and then stepped on his foot. He fell back surprised. Her attacks didn't really hurt. She was to small and weak for them to hold any force yet._

_ "You're mean!" she shouted staring at him angrily. Oliver ignored her and sat in the gravel he had landed in. Mai wondered why he looked so upset._

_ "Do you miss your daddy?"_

_ "No. I just wanted to listen with the adults. He said no." Oliver stared into the window where he saw his father speaking to a small group of people in front of a presentation board. Mai saw his displeased expression, got ups and clenched her firsts with a very determined face._

_ "Then let's go!" Oliver looked at her like she was stupid._

_ "I spy on mama all the time! It's easy! I'll show you!" she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the window. Mr. Harrison noticed Oliver being pulled aggressively by the little girl towards the house. He observed them with an amused expression, making sure they didn't see him. Mai put a finger to her mouth and then pointed up to the window._

_ "Help me up." she said. Oliver didn't get it but pushed her up onto the log pile next to the window. He blushed and turned his head away when he saw her bloomers underneath her poofy yellow dress. She pulled him up, though he didn't really need help, and they both peeked through the window. Oliver lightly pushed it open just barely so he could hear his father's words._

_ "As you all know PKST is the movement of static targets while PKMT is..." Oliver smiled at the sound of his father's voice. Mai's little heart raced when she saw that and she instantly fell in love. Mr. Harrison wished he had a camera._

_ "Will! You'll fall!" Gene shouted. The butler turned around to see Eugene in a panic as the eager little girl climbed high up into the oak tree._

_ "Ms. Will! Please come down immediately!" The para-psychological research meeting was to last a week and everyday Oliver and Mai would listen in on all of the scientists who spoke from their little window. Mai didn't go because she cared about what they said like Oliver did though. She only wanted to spend time with the little boy whose smile would only appear when he was listening to his father's lectures on ghost hunting._

ooo

"Mai! Hey Mai!" Naru shouted above her collapsed form. He started to get worried as did John and Masako who had overhead his shouting. Suddenly she shot up almost knocking heads with him. She looked around the room with wide eyes and then got up and ran.

"Hey Mai wha-" she dashed past Monk and Ayako and came to a sliding stop right in front of the back door. Out the back yard and to the far right she finally came to a stop. Mr. Harrison was there gathering a log of firewood for the lounge fireplace.

"Ms. Mai?" he looked at her surprised. She looked at him and immediately knew he was the man from her dreams, though slightly older. Then she looked at the stack of firewood and her eyes moved up to the small window. She could see the room with the chalkboard through the clear glass.

"Mai." Naru addressed her in a very serious tone. She turned to him and his blue eyes seemed to pierce her heart.

"There's no way..." she whispered.

"What?" she dashed past him and grabbed Will by the arm disappearing in a cloud of dust. **(Since Mai is an anime character I can give her super speed oT.T/)** the others looked after her and then at Naru.

"Um... I don't know what's going on but since we are all together I may as well say it now." Masako broke the silence.

"What is it Ms. Hara?"

"I cannot sense any spirits in the house or around it."

"Then this place isn't haunted?" Ayako asked already drawing conclusions.

"Let me finish... I said there weren't any spirits. I think something very different is behind all of this."

**12:00 pm...**

"Why are we hiding in the woods?" Will asked as she watched Mai pace back and forth frantically. She stopped and grabbed Will's shoulders.

"Do you remember going to England when we were little?" Will cocked an eyebrow and shook her head. Mai sighed and flopped down onto the moss.

"Then maybe it was just one of those dreams..."

"Oh! Do you mean for the Psychic Research meeting our parents went to?" Mai tackled her pinning her down by the arms.

"What did you say?" she shouted.

"I'm right here! Sheesh! Don't you remember? We stayed at this very house for a week. It was so boring..." Mai shook her like a rag doll.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she shouted letting Will drop to the grass before she continued her panicked pacing.

"World... spinning..."

"But does that mean that Naru is... that can't be!"

"What are you talking about...? Mr. Shibuya? Wait... do you mean-"

"I gotta figure this out!" Mai ran to go do her own private investigation.

"Mai! Wait!" Will called out but it was too late. Mai was already long gone.

"Seriously Mai... you have a horrible memory... Oh well. On to preparing the next outfit!"

**12:10 pm...**

Mai stood before Naru's room. She took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob. She was horrified when she entered. But not for the reason you may think...

"_It's a mess!_" there were papers scattered everywhere and the bed was lumpy and unmade. Books lay in stacks all over the floor and the clothes hamper was overflowing. Mai couldn't believe her eyes. She had a desperate desire to clean it out of habit but resisted. Instead she walked over to his drawers hoping to find some clues there. She opened one and then closed it immediately blushing like mad.

"_At least it was bo__xers..._" she thought. Her eyes noticed something on his bed and she picked up what looked to be a manuscript.

"_The Theory of PSI fields. By Doctor Oliver Davis._" Mai looked through it and knew it was Naru's hand writing right off the bat.

"_But if this is__ Naru's why does it say... Oliver Davis? Oliver Da-... Oliver... Oliver..._" she collapsed on the ground and her mind overflowed with questions. Footsteps interrupted her mental breakdown and she quickly put the papers back and went inside the closet. Naru's closet. She wanted to kick herself. Her nose twitched at the very faint smell of Aqua di Gio lingering in his clothes. The closet opened and Mai shrank back praying he wouldn't see her. She saw he had gotten black ash on his clothes, probably from investigating the chimney as Melva said the Wolf would often come inside through the window near the fireplace. She had to cover her mouth to keep from squealing as Naru began to unbutton his shirt. She didn't know whether to keep her eyes open or to shut them tightly. She held her breath when he let the shirt slide down onto the floor revealing his nicely toned abdomen. She found it odd that he would have any time to exercise with how he worked all the time. He stretched and rubbed the back of his neck, groaning slightly. Then he proceeded to unbuckle his belt. She quickly covered her eyes and couldn't help but blush when she heard fabric dropping to the floor. Her heart pounded as his hands moved through the hangers for a new outfit. It wasn't long until he was dressed and swiftly exited the room. After he left Mai tumbled out of the closet and quietly shuffled into the hall. She saw him walking away and quickly went the opposite direction, her heart still pounding out of her chest.

"That was way to close!" she whispered. "Naru would never let me live that down if I got caught." her stomach growled. All of the excitement must have made her hungry, she thought. So she headed towards the kitchen to see if lunch was being made. On the way she passed the room where she had seen the girl form last night. Upon remembering she felt like kicking herself for a second time for not telling anyone about her.

"_Quiet! What am I going to do if someone hears you?_" Mai heard as she passed the door.

"_What do you mean? I doubt th__at. How do I know you're even real then? How do I know you're even telling the truth? You're such a smart ass._" a girl's voice said. Mai couldn't hear anyone else talking but by the way her voice would pause in between sentences she must have been talking to someone. Perhaps she was on the phone. It sure was a weird sounding conversation though. She stopped her eavesdropping and continued towards the kitchen, thinking over her new discoveries on the way.

"_Why would Naru keep something like that a secret? T__here must be a reason right? But if he wants it to stay secret he'll be really mad if he knows I know. I'll just keep things a secret for right now..._"

…...

I love little Oliver! XD Anywho, I hope y'all liked the chapter and I'll try to update soon. Thanks once again for all the reviews and please continue to grace me with more X3


	8. File 8: Secrets in the Halls Part 3

Disclaimer: Hooray for Comic-con! Next year it will be Sakura-con oT.T/ I got a Ciel plushie and decided that maybe I shall try my hand at making Ghost Hunt plushies of my favorite characters XD Unfortunately I do not own those characters T.T... damn it...

PS: The transition between someone speaking English and someone thinking might throw y'all off so I apologize if it does :/

* * *

><p><strong>October 24th, Wednesday, 4:00 pm...<strong>

"Oh my head!" Mai moaned lying face down into her pillow. Ever since her memories had returned she would periodic headaches but this one topped them all easily. Will had returned from finishing whatever task Naru had assigned her, most likely filling out forms due to the fact he hated repeatedly filling out the same information time and time again.

"Want some drugs?" she asked shaking a small pill bottle in Mai's face.

"You make them sound illegal... I already took some, thanks." she sighed and suddenly punched her pillow with as much force as she could muster. Will fell back surprised and peeked cautiously over the bed side.

"I can't believe he'd keep something like that a secret!" she screamed through clenched teeth. She picked up the pillow and chucked it against the door. She was even angrier at Naru than usually on account he was probably the cause of her massive headache.

"Maybe he doesn't remember you from when we were little? You were very quiet." Mai froze and then slowly picked up her other pillow bringing it down with earth shattering force against Will's head.

"You knew!" she continued to hit her mercilessly.

"Ow! Stop it! I tried to tell you!"

"Did you also know Naru is Oliver Davis?" she whispered with hostility still lingering in her tone. If someone heard her it would be trouble. Will cocked her head.

"Who now?"

"Dr. Oliver Davis is a famous para-psychological researcher with incredible PK powers. I knew Naru was psychic but I didn't know he was famous not to mention the fact that he really is a genius! Who gets a doctorate degree at seventeen!" she sighed exasperated.

"He's been living a double life... all this time without telling me... am I that untrustworthy?"

"Mr. Shibuya is psychic?" Will gasped ignoring Mai's question.

"It truly is meant to be! We must speed up the hormone activation process!" Will grabbed the skirt of Mai's dress and pulled it up over her head leaving her in her undergarments.

"Hey!" Mai squealed covering herself with a sheet. A black pencil skirt, a white button up dress shirt, black nylons, and black heels were thrown onto her bed.

"Change into these now!" Will commanded with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. Mai knew there was no point in arguing and quickly slipped into the sophisticated looking attire.

"A'ight! Now all we gotta do is unbutton a few so you show a bit of 'boobage' and... Bam! You prettier than a glob of butter meltin' over a stack of flapjacks!" Mai felt nervous having her shirt lower than her collar bone but she did hold a shred of hope that dressing like this would attract Naru's attention. Will even suggested wearing some sexy glasses but Mai refused saying that was carrying it to far. There was a knock on the door and the maid, Mrs. Hall, announced that dinner would be served shortly. The girls responded saying they would be there shortly so Mrs. Hall left to tell the others.

"Ready to go, doll face?" Will asked but Mai only groaned slightly. She put a hand on her shoulder.

"You alright? _Maybe she needs sleep..._" Mai shook her head.

"I'm not tired. Maybe I'm dehydrated or something." Will's eyes widened but Mai didn't notice and exited the room. She dragged her feet down the hall wondering why she was still wearing the heels.

"Mai wait up!" Will said skipping up to her friend with dangerously mischievous look on her face.

"What are you planning now?" Mai said stopping them both.

"Oh nothing... Say, it just occurred to me, but if the Mr. Shibuya now was the Oliver back then, doesn't that mean that Mr. Shibuya was your first love?" Mai flushed a glorious shade of red and couldn't believe she hadn't thought of that before.

"So I've been in love with the same person for like, forever!" she gasped crouching down embarrassed.

"I was so jealous that you had found such a cute boyfriend before me when we were little. Mr. Shibuya and you went everywhere together that week. I was stuck with his shy brother. What was his name...?"

"Gene... I wonder where he is now?" Mai felt a sudden sadness and dizziness. A wave of grief in fact. It was so intense she had to use Will to steady herself. Something terrible was attached to that name. She just didn't know what.

"_I wonder where he is now._"

"I don't know. Maybe he's normal and actually goes to school." Mai laughed and Will grinned back with a slight giggle.

"You're gonna force me to keep this a secret aren't you?"

"Yes."

**4:15 pm...**

"Everyone I would like to introduce you to Ms. Arielle Hall." Luella said dragging a girl into the room. She looked like she had just come back from a stressful day at work.

"_It's a pleasure._" she said with a tired smile.

"She's Mrs. Hall daughter and her only living child." Luella said with a sad sigh holding Arielle tightly.

"The poor dears have just lost their family and I'm sure this haunting business is putting so much stress on the two so do please take good care of them. That means you Oliver... such a pretty lady doesn't deserve to be greeted with a 'who are you?'" Luella said addressing her son firmly.

"Oh please don't be fighting over that Mrs. Shibuya. This is your home and I am only a guest. I should have introduced myself as soon as Mr. Shibuya had returned." Luella waved the matter away and the others introduced themselves. Arielle was an averagely sized girl with straight strawberry blonde hair. She had warm brown eyes, a cheerful expression, and greeted each of the team members with the utmost politeness.

"That leaves me, I'm Mai Taniyama." Mai extended her hand and Arielle took it delicately in hers. But as soon as contact was made Mai felt a rush of power flow into her and fell to her knees clutching the sides of her head.

"_This girl is dangerous._"

"_Can she see you?_"

"_Stay away from her. Keep away from all of them._"

"_But why?_"

"_If they find out they'll hate you. You'll get in trouble. And then I'll only get stronger. You're scared of that aren't you?_"

"_Yes._"

"_Then be a good girl and stay in the shadows, where I can protect you. You are my precious friend, understand?_" the throbbing stopped and Mai could hear the panic in the room. The others were already picking up the phone to dial an ambulance.

"I'm fine. Geez... you all act like I'm on the brink of death half the time." Mai stood on her own with no difficulty and found that her headache had disappeared.

"What happened? Do you need something?" Luella asked frantically. Mai shook her head "no" cheerfully.

"Ms. Hall, You seem tired. You should get some rest." she said. The girl was surprised but agreed and excused herself. After a bit of unnecessary fussing over Mai dinner was finally served. While they were eating the first course of soup the table was filled with the noises of chatter and laughter, mostly from Luella, Will, and Ayako who had found they quite enjoyed each others company. Mai was lost in thought and sat there quietly with her spoon between her lips.

"What_ was that? There was two voices. One was a girl's and I know it was Ms. Hall's but the other was a boys voice. Was I dreaming while still awake? Is that possible?_" she thought about asking Naru but with him so "talkative" lately she doubt she would get any information. Lin knew a lot about psychic powers but he would tell Naru she asked. The others weren't that knowledgeable so Mai was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Desert was being served by the time Mai had finished her thoughts. That's when Naru brought up the subject of what their next step in the case shall be.

"Mai and Ms. Johnson were absent during Ms. Hara's observation so she'll fill you in first." Will waited in anticipation while Mai thought about how he acted like speaking to them, especially her, was such a burden.

"As I said before I cannot sense any spirits in the house. However, I do feel a strange presence here. I also have yet to see the wolf."

"So what... can't the ghost just hide? Perhaps it doesn't like you." Will chuckled.

"Perhaps Melva was just imagining the wolf?" Ayako thought aloud.

"But I saw it as well." Luella reminded her.

"You said before that you felt something evil was controlling the wolf. But if this presence is so evil, why can't Masako sense it?" Mai asked.

"She's finally lost her touch." Ayako teased. Masako turned her head and ignored her.

"I'm not wrong. I do not sense any spirits so there are none."

"Maybe we're dealing with a spirit who can use a person as it's cover." the ever helpful John pointed out.

"But I should still be able to see it."

"I mean no offense by this but I have seen cases where even the best in my field haven't been able to snuff out a spirit if it doesn't want to be found." Masako took offense nonetheless but Naru seemed intrigued and asked him to explain.

"Back home I knew a person who had something that her parents called a 'Spirit of Discernment.'"

"So she was a medium like Masako?" Mai asked.

"No. A 'Spirit of Discernment' is something entirely different. It has nothing to do with psychic powers. This particular ability is one given to those by the Holy Spirit. While Masako uses her powers to see spirits and to communicate with them a person with this ability will be able to tell whether the demon communicating with him or her is by God or by Satan."

"So you think it is possible that Melva may have a 'Spirit of Discernment'?" Naru asked looking at his little sister who was stretching out her chubby little arm to try and grab her tea cup. It wasn't working out for her so well. (Did I ever mention that Melva is five? o.0)

"I pray that isn't the case." Luella looked fearful and looked at Naru for an explanation.

"Why? What's wrong?" she asked in a shaky voice. John never was one to be good at delivering bad news.

"Having this gift would mean Melva would experience seeing things of the supernatural realm. Many, including the friend I once knew, called it a curse rather than a gift."

"Once knew?" Monk asked. John's eyes held grief in them and he nodded slightly.

"She became so fearful of what she was seeing day after day that she prayed for God to take her life. She died a week later of unknown causes. I pray that Melva isn't gifted in this way because if she is she won't have harmless spirits taunting her. She'll be tormented by demons." Luella felt sick and asked the maids to take her daughter to her room to play.

"B-but I saw it too? So that means that-"

"My friend's parents could also see what she saw, but only on occasion. Melva may know she is being haunted by this creature and it may have threatened to harm you if she refuses to do as it says. That may have been why you were able to see it once and why you were able to tell it was very evil." Luella started to tear up. Naru laid a comforting hand on his mother's shoulder and gave her a very determined look.

"I won't let anything happen to Melva. I promise I'll protect you and her both. Everything will be fine." Will noticed Mai's dreamy love filled expression when he said this and she could help but secretively snap a photo with her phone.

"If I may, I would like to pray over Melva before she sleeps tonight." John asked also trying to comfort Luella.

"Please do." Luella said grabbing his hand tightly with watery eyes.

"I'm going to call your father dear." she exited the room.

**7:00 pm...**

Mai and Will went around checking cameras for the second time that day. Naru had disappeared so they had nothing else they could think of doing.

"Stupid jerk always vanishing without saying a word. Inconsiderate... self important... vain..." Mai had been making a list of things she hated about Naru since she discovered his little secret.

"You weren't thinking those things about him earlier." Will sang holding up her phone with the photo she took. Mai blushed angrily and snatched it away deleting it.

"One act of tenderness doesn't make up for two years of being with that guy!" Melva ran past them carrying a stuffed teddy bear.

"Well ain't she happier than a puppy with two tails." Will laughed seeing the little girl's beaming smile as she entered her room.

"I don't think she's bein' tormented by spirits nor demons." Mai agreed.

"_Big brother! Sit down! It's time for tea!_" Mai and Will were immediately on the ground, basically on top of each other, peeking through the barely open door. Naru sat on the floor watching as Melva poured tea for him, herself, and her two neatly dressed teddy bears.

"_Big brother this is Oliver and Eugene. You've met them before._" Melva said motioning to her bears. Naru shook their soft brown paws.

"_It's very nice to see you again._" Will had never been so thankful for her camera phone in her entire life.

"She must have named them after her brother's." Will whispered to Mai who was far to distracted with the adorable, slightly disturbing, scene in front of her.

"_Today we're having ginger biscuits that mama made special. Oh! I almost forgot!_" Melva ran to her bed drawer and pulled out two sets of special tea party gloves, smaller one's for herself and a larger pair for Naru.

"_You can borrow mama's._" Melva said as her brother tied the tiny satin ribbons properly on her wrists. And of course came the dramatic English tea hats. Melva said that Naru's should be blue just like his eyes.

"_You look very pretty in your hat and gloves Mrs. Woodworth!_" Naru looked perplexed but then understood what she was doing.

"_Why thank you Ms. Melva. Where shall we be having tea today_?"

"_In the tea room of my mansion in Paris of course_!"

"_How is your husband's business Mrs. Woodworth? I heard he woud be speaking with the Queen about ghosts in her castle._" Melva asked in a lady like tone, her pinky sticking out as she sipped her tea.

"_Why yes_." Naru laugh in his mind at his sister's dulisions_. "Is Mr. Oliver and Mr. Eugene's business affairs also proceeding nicely? I believe they are also ghost hunters._"

"_That British accent is so hot..._" Mai elbowed a surprised Will.

"You're to loud." Mai whispered. Will was about to say something but just decided to keep taking pictures.

"_They are excellent ghost hunters just like Mrs. Woodworth! I'm going to hunt ghosts too one day!_" Naru looked surprised and left the world of his sister's imagination for a moment.

"_Oh really? Does mother and father know about this?_"

"_Papa says that I'll be a great ghost hunter! But he said to keep it a secret from mama._" she put a finger to her telling him to keep it a secret.

"_Then I'll get an assistant and fall in love just like you!_" Naru coughed and put the tiny heart shaped tea cup down before he dropped it.

"Are Lin and Naru having an affair!" Will's mouth dropped. Mai groaned in her mind remembering what Madoka had done to her a while ago.

"_Mama and Uncle Lin say Mai and Naru will get married and have lots of babies! I'll be an aunty!_"

"_Lin?_" Naru asked wide eyed.

"_Uncle Lin says Mai is very special to big brother._" Melva smiled dreamily. "_He told me you are in love and he told mama and papa too!_"

"_Did he now..._" Naru had the sudden urge to kill his assistant.

"Mai wake up you're missing it!" Will shook her friend trying to stay quiet. Mai was in a coma like state on the ground. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Will sighed and dragged her up into a sitting position so she could still see through the door.

"_Melva... I have something very important to ask you._" Naru said changing the subject. She left her little girl fantasies and focused her attention on her brother. He waved her over to him and she sat in his lap. He stroked her hair getting his finger caught in her curls.

"_Melva... if anything is bothering you you need to tell me okay?_"

"_Of course! Because big brother will always protect me!_" Naru smiled and Will understood why Mai had fallen in love.

"_That's right. You never need to be scared alright?_" Melva nodded and hugged him across the chest tightly.

"_Because big brother loves me_?"

"_Yes... because big brother loves you_."

He held her close in return and closed his eyes relieved that his precious little sister seemed to be safe. But a loud ring tone interrupted the moment. Will jumped and practically fell through the door. Mai shot back and hit the other side of the hallway. Naru had never been so caught of guard in his life. There he was, sitting with white lady's tea gloves on, a huge blue lady's tea hat, a little girl snuggled into his arms, playing tea party,and Mai and Will had seen everything.

"Run!" Will shouted snatching Mai by the arm and flying down the hallways until they were back in the base room. They fell to the ground after closing the door relieved that they had made it back alive.

"What's wrong?" Monk asked rushing over to them. Will started cackling like a maniac rolling around on the carpet.

"Is she possessed?" Ayako asked stepping back. Masako didn't even bother to answer as Ayako wouldn't take what she said seriously anyway. Will sat with her back to them in the corner, still chuckling evilly to herself and she went through the photos on her phone. Mai crawled over to the table and lazily slapped the clipboard with all the camera readings onto it. She then dragged herself over to the closet.

"If Naru comes in you have no idea where we are." she closed the door after Will crawled inside, with an evil grin still on her face.

**8:00 pm...**

"I'll be staying in Melva's room to watch over her tonight." Naru told his mother. Mai and Will were spying on the team as they still didn't want to come face to face with Naru's wrath. When Melva was settled in her bed a cross was laid on her pillow and John began his prayer.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. I beseech thee God, take pity on us and cleanse that which needs to be cleansed." he closed his bible when it was over and Melva looked around the room to see if anything exciting would happen.

"Where's the doggie?" she asked looking around. John smiled.

"I don't think the doggie will be coming anymore." suddenly a scream echoed through the house and Lin rushed out the door. A woman was standing in the corner of the bedroom.

"Stay back!" she said to Lin. No one could see anything. Arielle was also in the room, frozen with fear. The tension on the room suddenly left and when the women sighed relieved Lin rushed to her side.

"Are you alright?" he asked with an extremely concerned face. It wasn't without reason though. The woman was very pregnant, probably about eight months along.

"I'm fine. Just a bit shaken. I just need some rest." he sighed relieved but still looked her over just in case.

"Who is that?" Mai and Will asked Luella at the same time. She giggled at the rare display of affection before her.

"That is Mao Shu, Lin's wife."

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><p>Friend: *reads fic* "Really...? Did you really just insert yourself in the story so you could be Lin's wife and have his babies because you have a sick obsession with him and his voice actor?"<p>

Me: "What! No! Don't be silly! Just because he is tall, has a sexy voice, has awesome hair, and not to mention he is totally my type! Do you really think I'd do that?"

Friend: ... T_T... please review, for the sake of this crazy woman...

Me: "Hehehehehehehehehehehehe... Lin X3 *sighs dreamily* Anywho! Thank you for reading and, for those of you who wanted Naru to partake in a tea party, I hope you enjoyed! XD


	9. File 9: Secrets in the Halls Part 4

Disclaimer: I'm so glad y'all liked the tea party! X3 Making Naru look and act ridiculous is lot harder than it would seem o.0 Thank you so much for all the reviews! They fuel the flames of inspiration that burn so passionately within my soul! I do not own anything of Ghost Hunt's! Onto the chapter :D *random dancing*

PS: I apologize to all LinXMadoka fans! I can see how they would be cute together but I decided Lin shall be mine! Plus it all fits in quite nicely with my plot :3

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><p><strong>October 25<strong>**th****, Thursday, 3:00 am...**

_"Bye bye mama!" a six year old auburn __haired girl kissed her mommy on the cheek and received a kiss back._

_ "Be a good girl for grandma and grandpa sweetie." the mother said. She had to leave the little girl at her grandparent's home often because her job required late hours at times. The grandma waved goodbye from the large living room window. Mai moved around the scene unnoticed._

_ "You must pay careful attention." the dream Naru said suddenly appearing by her side. Mai watched carefully as the little girl referred to as "sweetie" joyously played with the cats and wandered about the cozy home. In the back was a beautiful garden with a pond full of fish. Her grandfather was carpenter and had homemade wind mobiles decorating every corner of the garden. She entered his shop and took a deep breath. It always smelled like fresh cut wood and cigarettes. It smelled just like her grandpa._

_ "Come here. I got something to surprise you with." he led the little girl to his latest project. A wood dresser with hearts carved into a swirly adornment on the top. A swirly design was carved in the center. The girl was overjoyed and squealed with happiness and she thanked him over and over._

_ "Hearts are my favorite grandpa!"_

_ "Only the best for this little girl." he smiled. "Come on. Ma's making lunch." she followed closely behind, her hand in his. Naru stood by the dresser looking closely at the swirly design in the center. Mai filed it away as important._

**That night...**

_It was time for bed and upstairs the little girl was having a hard time sleeping. Small cre__aking noises __ kept disturbing her. Mai frowned._

_ "I remember imagining the house creaking was ghosts and monsters." she said pitying the little girl._

_ "But she's not imagining." Naru said pointing to the dark little imp like shadows that danced around the girl's bed. They laughed and, though they didn't seem able to touch her, she was terrified._

_ "Mommy..." she whimpered. "They aren't real..."_

_ "Oh but we are!" they sang. "We're going to scare you! Scare you! Scare you!" they chanted over and over again._

_ "No..."_

_ "Are you crying? Cry! Cry! Cry!" they screeched happy in their wicked deeds. The little girl of course started to cry and one of the creatures pulled on her hair. She shot up out of bed and realized she couldn't see them._

_ "Where are you?"_

_ "You can't see us yet! But when you can you'll die! Die! Die! Die!" she trembled in fear and covered herself with the quilt._

_ "If I don't move or speak they'll leave..." she thought. That night she fell asleep but only because the constant rush of fear had pushed her past the point of exhaustion._

_ "This is horrible! Who is she? I have to save her" But before she could reach the girl and Naru could answer her she was woken up._

**9:00 am...**

"Mai! Mai! For crying out loud wake up!" Will shouted. She had gotten Monk and Ayako's help to try and shake the slumbering girl awake. When the others heard Mai wouldn't wake up they panicked and Naru was the first one in the room. Before he could have his chance at analyzing the situation Mai shot up out of bed. She picked up her pillow and started beating Will with it.

"WHY-" smack. "DID YOU-" smack. "WAKE-" smack. "ME-" smack. "UP!" she practically screamed. Monk held her back as Will took cover behind the crowd of people now in the room.

"Somebody sure is cranky in the mornings." Monk laughed. She stepped on his foot forcing him to release her.

"I'm cranky because you all interrupted before I could hear who she was!" Mai shouted outraged.

"What did you dream?" Naru asked getting right to the point.

"A little girl was being tormented by tiny shadows. They kept laughing at her and saying they were going to scare her and that she was going to die." Mai clenched her fists angrily.

"Do you remember what she looked like?" Naru asked.

"Oh! It wasn't Melva! This little girl had auburn hair and looked completely different." Luella breathed a sigh of relief.

"But there's nobody here that has auburn hair." Monk pointed out.

"Perhaps the spirit of that little girl is here but is being hidden by the wolf. Like it's protecting her." Ayako wondered. They continued to throw around ideas while Will and Mai went to eat a late breakfast.

"This is so frustrating." Mai sighed. "If we just had a little bit more information than we could get somewhere!"

"I'm sure Mr. Shibuya will be able to figure it out. He's a doctor and a genius after all." they entered the dining room and inside was Mao Shu, Lin's wife, speaking with the maid, Mrs. Hall.

"Oh!" Mai gasped. She remembered how shocked everyone was to find out that Lin was not only married but also an expecting father. Her and Will didn't get a chance to introduce themselves because they had been avoiding Naru as best they could. He didn't seem to remember the tea party incident that morning though.

"My name's Will. Pleased to meet ya." Will said holding out a hand for her to shake.

"You sure are pregnant ain't ya? You look like you'll pop any second." she laughed. Mai rolled her eyes at her friends refined way of greeting and then proceeded to introduce herself.

"I have seen you two around the mansion. It is nice to see such hardworking young ladies." Mao Shu was a Chinese girl with ebony hair that went down to her ankles. It was tied in a half ponytail with a gold butterfly pin securing it tightly. Strands of hair fell in her face though partially hiding her black eyes. She wore a light blue loosely fitting qipao that only made her belly look bigger and of course wore traditional Chinese make-up. **(She doesn't wear the white face paint like Mulan. That's only for new brides. It's ****just rouge powder and eye liner that gives her cat like eyes. o.o)** It made sense for someone as dedicated to his culture as Lin to marry a girl like that. She looked like she had come out of an ancient Chinese story book and acted as such as well. Speaking softly and never making very extravagant movements.

"I still can't believe that reserved guy is married! And to such a pretty lady too!" Mai smacked Will's arm but Mao Shu just smiled.

"My husband doesn't talk about himself. Not even to me. I know he can seem distant and rude at times but he is really very kind."

"I've seen that side of him before." Mai giggled. "He must be a very caring husband." Mao Shu blushed and smiled a very big smile.

"Never in public though, because he's so reserved but also because he gets embarrassed so easily. Don't tell him I told you that." she gasped. Mai and Will promised and the three continued to talk over the course of their meal.

"By the way Mrs. Lin, is Ms. Hall alright?" Will asked. "She was in your room last night when the creature attacked."

"Please, call me Mao. I have a feeling we will be good friends." Mao said as the maids took away their plates. Then tea was served.

"Since I came here Ms. Hall often asks me questions about my home. She enjoys speaking of the spiritual aspects of different cultures. But that night she came to speak about something else." she said cupping her tea cup with both hands. She ran her finger along the silver edging feeling details in its hand crafted design.

"But I don't know what she was going to say. Just as she opened her mouth the wolf appeared." she looked pained and put her hand on her enlarged stomach.

"Please don't talk about it if it upsets you." Mai said wondering if speaking to her so soon after the event was a good idea.

"Oh no. It isn't myself that I'm worried over. But rather... I feel something is very off about that girl lately." she looked to see if anyone else was in the room.

"We shall keep this between us. The night before last I saw Ms. Hall come out of her room three times. Each time she looked deathly pale and absolutely terrified. She would walk a few steps and then whisper something inaudible before going back inside." Mai gasped and practically jumped out of her chair.

"That must have been her that night!" she shouted. Mao and Will shushed her and she sat back down listening to see if anyone was coming.

"I heard her say something like 'No' and 'I can't' then she flinched like she had seen something and ran back into her room." Mai whispered. Mao looked especially worried now.

"I have a feeling that child is hiding something. Probably along the lines of what's been going on in this house lately."

"But if she knows anything why would she keep it a secret?" Will wondered. Mai snapped her fingers and then told them about what had happened when she shook Ms. Hall's hand.

"But you said you just felt dizzy and didn't see anything!" Will looked offended at not being told this tidbit of information.

"I said that because I didn't know what was going on myself."

"Could it be possible that you read Ms. Hall's mind? You are psychic correct?" Mai laughed saying that was impossible.

"Well... actually... you've read my mind a few times..." Will mumbled. Mai sat there mouth agape.

"What are you talking about? That's ridiculous!"

"Your mom could read a person's mind just by touching them. It seems you may have inherited that little ability." Will sweat dropped as Mai started freaking out.

"Why didn't you say anything?" she shouted.

"You didn't tell me anything about what you've been seeing!"

"But you didn't know that until I told you!"

"Girl!" Mao said bringing her tea cup firmly down against the table silencing them instantly.

"That's better. Now then, Mai. If it is true that you can read her mind than it is very possible we can get to the bottom of this case ourselves." Mao said looking very pleased with the idea.

"Ourselves?" they both asked in sync.

"Lin and I are having a bit of a disagreement right now so I would very much like to put him in his place. I'm sure you two would also like to teach your boss a thing or two as well."

"Mr. Shibuya's horoscope says he's very attracted to smart girls! Plus he is very competitive so this will be like a challenge to him!" Will schemed.

"Oh? So you have your heart set on Mr. Shibuya?" Mao wondered surprised.

"No not me. Mai's been in love with him for ages now!" Mai blushed and punched Will in the arm.

"You just can't keep your mouth shut can you!"

"I'm a Leo! I tell it how it is!" Mao smiled as the two girls fought. She requested that one of the maids bring her a notepad and a pen.

"Mai. I would like you to make a list of all we have just said." Mai did just that but then remembered something very important. She flipped the page over and started drawing the frilly looking design she had seen on the little girl's dresser in her dream as bets as she could remember it.

"Do you know what this means?" she placed the paper in the center of the desk.

"Hey that's some beautiful cursive!" Will said snatching the sheet up.

"I didn't know you could write like this Mai."

"What's cursive?"

"Cursive is a kind of writing style popular in the United Kingdom and Australia. It is a style in which one will join each letter together. It was originally created to make handwriting faster." Mao explained.

"It's super easy!" Will showed Mai as she wrote examples all around the design.

"But what does this say?" Mai asked drawing attention back to the original subject.

"Oh, this says Ari... it says Arielle?" suddenly everything made sense. The door to the dining room opened but the three girls didn't notice.

"Then the girl from my dream... It's Ms. Hall! She can see the wolf! That must be why she's been acting so strangely!" Mai shouted not realizing who all was present.

"What?" suddenly Naru was there along with Luella and Masako. Mai gasped covering her mouth with her hands. Naru quickly snatched the paper away and eyed it carefully. He looked very angry and suddenly left the room. Mai knew exactly where he was going so she ran after him. He burst into Ms. Hall's bedroom surprising her considerably.

"You're the source of these things. Why haven't you said anything." he hissed. Ms. Hall's face went white and she looked around the room. By now Mai's shouts for Naru to stop had attracted the rest of the team and everyone was in her room. She felt like she was being interrogated.

"Have you lost the ability to speak?" he hissed again. Mai grabbed her hand and looked at her with sorrowful eyes. She didn't want anyone to find out this way.

"People's lives are in danger!" Naru began to shout. When he raised his voice it was if the entire building would tremble.

"_He's so angry... What do I do... mother, Mrs. Davis, they all hate me now..._"

"_I told you they would hate you! You g__ot us discovered! You've ruined it!_" Mai gasped realizing what she was hearing.

"Melva, my mother, your mother could have died!"

"_I didn't mean to. I don't know how they figured it out... I'm so scared... please don't be angry..._"

"_It's because you talk__too__ much! Silence is the only way to stay safe! These people will destroy you now!_"

"Talk!" Mai snapped.

"Would you shut the hell up!" she slapped Naru hard across the face. Everything went dead silent.

"You stupid stupid STUPID boy! Can't you see how scared she is! You barge in here like a fucking swat team! Idiot! What good is getting angry going to do! You're only making it worse!" Mai was gasping for breath after she was done. Though she was shorter than he, Naru felt much smaller than this angry girl. His face stung where she had made contact with his cheek. Ms. Hall sobbed loudly and couldn't contain it anymore.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't tell anyone... He'd hurt you if I did..." Mrs. Hall the maid started to cry but not because she was upset. She was overjoyed.

"Sweetie! You're crying!" she hugged her daughter tightly. Apparently that even after her father and brother had died Ms. Hall hadn't shown any signs of emotional turmoil.

"It's okay... We'll fix this together. Okay?" Her mother said still holding her tightly. Mrs. Hall and her daughter were both Christians so speaking with John was easiest for her. Even if he was Catholic he had the deepest understanding of what was going on. There wasn't that big a difference between their beliefs.

"You're perfectly safe. He can't do anything to you anymore. Understand?" John said placing his hand over hers tenderly. She nodded and looked him in the eyes.

"I'm still nervous..." she trembled.

"That's okay. You can be nervous. But bringing it out into the light is the only solution." he explained. The others had never seen John so serious before and were a little awestruck and how well he was handling the situation.

"Okay... I'm ready..."

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><p>Finally! John will get his time in the spotlight! oT.T This is only the beginning to a really intense arc so I hope you all enjoy o.o (Sorry for how short it is :p) Thank you for the reviews and please grace me with more! XD


	10. File 10: Spirit of Discernment & Deceit

Disclaimer: Still don't own Ghost Hunt... :p For all of you who have reviewed I thank you a million times over! \^-^/ I have been kicking myself over and over again for this chapter because I absolutely hate it but I hope I'm just being overly critical of myself :( Stupid School is giving me writing troubles T.T

PS: Please forgive me for not updating for so long DX I have no idea why it was so hard to write this freaking chapter! D:(

PSS: Flashback form for Arielle's past because it sounds cool oO.O/

…...

**October 25****th****, Thursday...**

_Grandma and Grandpa's house was j__ust the beginning... I remember that after that night I went home but upon entering my room I felt a great heaviness weighing me down. That night mama said she couldn't sleep. Papa and her would talk secretly with each other. They would never tell me what __was going on. They always said it was "adult problems" and told me to play with the doggies outside. They thought I was too little to understand. But I knew there was something there. Something in the house... watching us every night. That's why papa's boo__ks were always falling of their shelves at night, why his CDs were broken all over the floor, and why mother's clothes would have new rips in them __every day__. I saw it once. I was still six at the time. I was asleep and heard strange murmuring noises from th__e living room. Then Pumpkin, our dog, started to bark. I never heard her snarl like that and it scared me. But unlike other children I didn't hide under the covers. I looked. Above out fireplace hearth, in the corner of the ceiling, a scrawny black creatur__e convulsed like it was in terrible pain. Papa was throwing oil around the room and chanting strange words I didn't understand. It's eyes met mine and I knew instantly that this weak withered thing was something born in darkness. Fueled by the malice of it__s master I heard it curse at me and my family. That was when mother came from behind and snatched me up, running from the house. We came back once papa said it was safe. Mama said papa was a special person that God chose to get rid of bad things. I didn't __ask anything else. I couldn't. Because if I did, they would get angry. The night it started was when I heard my closet making strange noises. I got up to look and I remember seeing the ceiling moving. You see my closet had a thick plastic covering a large __whole in the ceiling. It was moving like it was taking deep breathes. I turned around thinking that if ignored it it would go away but then a heard a low growling noise. There was a big black bear. It would sleep in my closet during the day and stare at m__e with red eyes during the night. Each time I would move it would move a step closer, so I would hold my breath as long as I could before I feel asleep. The white ape like creature with a spider's face that would peek over the edge of my bed at night. If I__ opened my eyes it would be inches away from my face. I knew it wanted to eat me. There was also the clawed furry monster outside the kitchen window. I couldn't walk to the bathroom at night because he would see me passing through the hall. He didn't want __to eat me. He just wanted to see me splattered, all over the walls. I found wavering comfort in the strange shield that seemed to protect me from them every night. But it was as thin as glass and the constant fear of it shattering soon engulfed any comfort__ I found in its presence. I think... that during those times... I was going insane. I didn't know what __reality was__ anymore. Then mama and papa got divorced. And my hate and anger grew. I hated everything so much. I hated my parents, my friends, my school, __my life... I thought over suicide many times but I didn't have the guts to do it. I was so angry at myself for being so afraid and being such a coward. I knew what was coming every night but I was still scared. It was so pathetic. That glass shield was gon__e now._

**11:00 am...**

By now Mrs. Hall was on her knees crying. She had to be escorted out by Monk and Ayako. Arielle was quivering with fear. She was breathing heavily and her eyes kept flashing around the room, like she was waiting for something to come at her. Reliving her memories seemed to be too much for her.

"You're very brave Arielle." John said placing his hand on her knee. She jerked back and stood up backing away from him.

"_I-I'm sorry..._" she mumbled. She went over to the window and hid behind the curtains like a scared child. He walked over to her and sat down about a foot away from her hiding place.

"_Is this how you cope with it?_" he asked with a sympathetic voice.

"_When I was little the blankets would always hide me. Even after God stop__ped protecting me. He's ashamed of me!_" she cried.

"_God is still protecting you Arielle. You may not be able to see it but he is by your side always. You don't have to be afraid._"

"It's such a shame he's a priest... he'd be an awesome catch." Will whispered nudging Mai's arm.

"_Will you come out?_" he asked pulling back the curtain slightly. She had her eyes closed.

"_You're not alone Arielle. Even if you are afraid you have people who love you and will always stand by you._" he pulled the curtains away completely and she slowly opened her eyes. They were red from tears and though she was hesitant at first she allowed John to help her stand.

"_I don't want them to hurt anyone anymore..._"

"They're_ lying. They can't hurt anyone. Not as long as we don't __give him the power to._" She smiled and nodded.

"_You know... you're a lot easier to talk to than other people. I bet you've had a lot of cases just like-_" she looked up at John and flinched like someone had suddenly spooked her. She sat there completely frozen. She wasn't even breathing. John reached for his bible but before he could say anything Arielle shot up out of her seat and ran out of the room."

"_Arielle! Don't run from it!_" he called. Lin ran after her but Arielle went into the dense woods in the back yard. It was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

"What happened?" Naru asked John.

"I don't know. I'm assuming she saw or heard something. The demons that are haunting her right now must be enraged by this time."

"Why?" Will asked.

"A demon is a being born from evil. They prefer darkness and despise light. This being so when Arielle spoke of what's been happening she brought their deeds into the light. They can't work in secret like they want to anymore."

"That wolf wasn't very secretive." Naru pointed out.

"It's rare for demons to appear and try to cause physical damage but these ones seem particularly strong. They draw their power from hate, anger, and grief. Arielle harbors a lot of these emotions not only from recent experiences but from her past as well. She's like an endless food supply."

"But she doesn't look angry." Mai brought herself into the conversation.

"You should know better than to judge by appearances." Naru spoke to Mai in a resentful tone.

"Well sorry that I'm not perfect like you!" she shouted waving her arms about angrily.

"You had clairvoyance didn't you?"

"Had?" she shouted again.

"The lack of brain activity must have affected your psychic abilities as well. What a pity. It was to be expected though."

"What!" Will held her back as he walked away.

"What the Hell is wrong with you!" she huffed away in the opposite direction. Naru didn't respond and continued to look around aimlessly. Will raised an eyebrow and watched him closely. Usually he would look more focused and be looking for small clues. He didn't seem as competitive for information as usual. Something was definitely off with him and Will was more than determined to discover why.

**2:00 pm...**

"Stupid Stupid Naru! Go crawl in a whole and die you jerk!" Mai shouted throwing a large rock into a stream. The water splashed back and soaked the light blue dress she was wearing that day. She screamed at nothing in particular and collapsed into the soft grass.

"_Are you okay?_"

"_Yeah..._" Mai groaned in English back not realizing yet who was speaking to her.

"_A-Arielle!_" she gasped.

"_It's chilly out. Would you like my jacket?_" she asked. Mai shook her head but thanked her anyway.

"_I am sorry but I cannot speak English very well._" Mai laughed trying to pronounce each word very carefully and slowly. Then she remembered she had a small notebook and pen in her pocket from taking temperatures earlier._**(Yay for conveniently allowing Mai to write English on the conveniently placed notebook oT.T/)**_

"_Ah I see. Have you bee__n searching for me long?_" Arielle asked sitting down next to her.

"_Not really. I searched for about two hours but Naru really pissed me off and now I'm kinda lost. I've been out here wandering for about an hour._" Mai wrote then laughed rubbing the back of her head embarrassed. _**(I've only seen that done in the anime world... What does it mean! o.0)**_

"_Haha! We can be lost together then!_" Arielle laughed with a big grin on her face. Mai didn't understand. Now she seemed perfectly fine compared to earlier.

"_What happened?_" Mai wrote. "_You ran away. Everyone is really worried about you._" Arielle's smile morphed into a frown and she rested her head on her knees.

"_I wish they wouldn't... It's so annoying..._"

"_What do you mean? Caring about someone is annoying?_" Mai was seriously confused.

"_The more someone cares about me the closer they want to get to me. It makes him angry and puts them in danger. I ran way because he was behind John staring at me. If I would have __spoken__ again someone would have been hurt._"

"_Him?_" Mai asked.

"_I can't say his name. I remember my dad telling me not too. It's like if you know a demon's name and say it your giving him power and making him something_." Mai cocked her head so Arielle explained further.

"_A demon is actually nothing __but a pathetic little servant of Satan's evil. They have no power unless you give it to them by giving them purpose. The demon that is haunting me is feeding off of me._"

"_But if you know this then why are you letting it happen?_" Mai asked. Arielle looked blankly at the notebook.

"_I don't know. In fact, I don't even know if what I see and hear is real or not. I don't know if he exists. I don't know if what I say is the truth anymore or if he has taken me over and the life I'm living right now is really min__e anymore. It's disgusting isn't it... I'm pathetic... a follower of God and I can't even see what is real or not or have the faith to believe it'll be alright. I thought for a long time that I went insane and thought about asking mom to take me to the doc__tor but then he told me that they would think I was lying. And that's what I've been doing for so long... __every day__ I lie about who I am and what I want just so I can get through this stupid life... I hate it... I've lied to myself so much I don't even know__ what the truth is anymore!_" her teeth ground together angrily as she ripped up blades of grass and tossed them into a pile by her ankle. Mai watched her with sad eyes. Arielle seemed like a different person now.

"_You sound lonely and confused to me. Arie__lle... what are your dreams?_" Mai wrote. Arielle looked puzzled.

"_I am confused but... I'm... lonely...? My dreams...? What are my dreams...? I guess... I don't know. I used to want to be an artists or an author but I was always told that that would never__ get me anywhere in life. I guess I am a little lonely. No one understands the way I think. He did though. I don't want to live like everyone else. I want to wander around the world seeing new people and talking with them, I also want to try new foods, and__ learning new languages would be cool too. But my biggest dream would be to leave this world entirely and live in one I created. I want it to be just like one of my books. Full of creatures that can talk, plants that move and breath, and of course hot guys__ that are part animal._" she blushed when Mai giggled.

"_You have a lot of dreams. That's great. It means your imaginative. You'd be a great author or artist! Maybe even both!_" Mai gave her a thumbs up and Arielle rolled her eyes.

"_I'm __too__ lazy to even fini__sh writing my books. I'm just a useless person that can't finish anything. But he said that wasn't a bad thing. He always calls me his special friend. He says I'm special because I think differently. He says I'm a genius a lot too_."

"_I think he just says __those things because he is scared you would get rid of him. He's the real liar here, not you._" Mai said. Arielle laughed.

"_I could never get rid of him. I'm too weak a person for that._" she turned over, lying on her stomach as she played with a small patch of clovers beneath her. Mai wasn't getting anywhere with this girl. She hadn't realized how pessimistic she was before. She sighed depressed now and also lied on her stomach.

"_What did you and your boyfriend fight about? You said he pissed you off, righ__t?_" Arielle changed the subject. Mai blushed bright red.

"_B-b-boyfriend? Naru? He's not... he doesn't even like me that way._" she pouted.

"_Really? So it's unrequited? You look like a perfect couple to me. The stoic, blunt, somewhat rude, unsociable boy w__ith the cheerful, sweet, loving girlfriend. It's my favorite kind of pairing._" she smiled. Mai thought about it and agreed the idea sounded very nice.

"_He teases you a lot. Is that why you're mad? I think it's kinda cute._"

"Stupid jerk! I may not be the smartest and yeah he may be the famous genius Oliver Davis but that gives him no right to be so mean!" she threw another rock in the river having not learned her lesson the first time. Arielle snickered as Mai went off in Japanese she couldn't understand. The notebook idea had flown out the window.

"He's extremely successful, he's gorgeous, and he's published multiple books receiving an honorary doctorate! Have you seen it! He has it posted in a frame next to his bed! Arrogant, heartless jerk!"

"_I heard O__liver Davis somewhere in there. So you figured out who he really is?_" Mai had intended to keep her knowledge a secret but she couldn't care less anymore. She wanted to scream the name of her enemy to the heavens.

"I snuck into his room and you know what! He's a pig! He may look all perfect on the outside but on the inside he's just a messy person who can't take care of himself! He was so much sweeter when he was little!"

"_Uh huh..._" Arielle lied back in the grass amused as she watched Mai stomp around.

"The entire week we never left each other's side! He read his books to me and we listened to his father's endless speeches every day! It was so boring! But I did it and do you know why! Because I loved him! And now I'm starting to question if I really am stupid because I still do! I love that idiot!"

"_Testify!_"

"I love Oliver Davis! He may be smart but he won't be able to resist me for long! I'll make him fall in love with me! That will be my ultimate revenge!" Mai struck an impressive determined pose.

"_I __have no idea what you said but I'm rooting for you all the way._" Arielle laughed.

"Are you two having fun out here?" Will asked her arms crossed. She pinched Mai's cheeks between her fingers and pulled.

"Wha aw oo oing?(What are you doing?)" Mai wailed.

"Here I am worried sick about Arielle and you're here with her talking about your love life! And you didn't include me! How dare you!" she looked at Arielle with the same cross expression.

"_Your mom is worried sick you know. Wouldn't it be scarier to run__ away alone than stay with the protection of family?_"

"_You speak English quite well._"

"_I don't come from Japan._"

"_Ah. I see. In answer to your question, yes it is scary. But the thought of people being hurt because of me if scarier._" Will still scolded her for running away and for having so little confidence in the team's ability to protect themselves.

"_Are they going to start interviewing me again?_" Arielle asked hoping that the answer wouldn't be "yes."

"_I don't know. You will probably get a good sco__lding from everybody though._" Mai defended Arielle saying they didn't understand her situation so they had no right to be upset with her.

"_Ms. Hall!_" John ran towards her immediately asking if she was harmed in any way.

"_Sweetie! You really should stay w__ith these people! They can protect you. If you run away they can't do their jobs._" her mother said hugging her tightly. Mai noticed an angry expression come over Arielle's face for a fraction of a second.

"_These demons are just playing on your imagination__. You need to be able to control yourself or we can't help you._" she threw her mother off of her and stood abruptly.

"_What...?_"

"_Hey! Arielle what was that for?_" Will asked helping her mother up. Mai felt uneasy and watched Arielle's uneasiness grow.

"_S__weetie...? Look at me. It'll be okay. We can fix this and then if you want to we can see a doctor._" Arielle took a few steps back.

"_You can talk to him about what's been happening and he can give you proper help. Mr. Shibuya suggested it. He said therapy __would be good for you."_

"_Therapy...? You're trying to fix... me...?_"

"_The doctor will be able to help you cope with your fear and-_"

"_I wouldn't be scared if there wasn't a reason to be! You think therapy will be able to overcome something like this! Wha__t kind of bullshit thinking is that!_" The anger John had mentioned before started to show itself.

"_But sweetie, there's nothing to be afraid off!_"

"_You always think you know everything! You and dad were always like that! Always assuming you knew me when __you never stopped to listen for one fucking second about what I actually felt! You don't know anything mom! You don't know who I am, you don't know what's been going on, you don't even know how dad and bro died!_" Mrs. Hall got serious firmly asking for an explanation.

"_I told dad about what was happening a week before he died. You wanna know what killed him? I did!_"

"_That's ridiculous!_"

"_Is it! I killed Noah__**(her brother)**__ too! When I told them what was happening the same things happening now started occu__rring. The wolf appeared to Noah in his dreams and then in real life! He pushed him in front of that car! Dad tried to exorcise the demon inside of me and do you know what happened? It took over me and I strangled him before he could even say a word! They'__re dead because of me! Because I couldn't keep my mouth shut! Because I'm evil! I'm just like them! A demon! You can't fix that!_" she screamed in anguish and collapsed on the ground convulsing as if something was tearing apart her insides. Her mother couldn't take it all in and stood there in awe. Lin was trying to restrain Arielle as her flailing around would only get her hurt.

"_God! Why do you torture me! You know I can't end this so why do you let it go on! Fucking kill me! I'm going to die soon an__yway! Get it over with!_"

"Naru! I can't hold her! We need to calm her down!" Lin shouted after receiving a nice elbow to his stomach. Naru was way ahead of everyone and had previously ordered Ayako to bring a sedative. An unconscious Arielle was a lot easier to control.

**3:00 pm...**

"_I suspected this may happen. The stress she's been dealing with has built up over the years and caused a great deal of mental damage to your daughter._" Naru explained. Mrs. Hall was getting tired of hearing nothing but bad news. She couldn't take seeing her daughter tied down to a bed being given drugs to keep her under just so she couldn't hurt anyone. She didn't like seeing her precious little girl suffering so much.

"_What do I do? Can nothing fix this!_" she was getting impatient of hearing the problems without their answers.

"_I'm a ghost hunter not an exorcist. John should know more about this than anyone._"

"_And I know what to do._" John placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He was already prepared to do an exorcism and so he poured holy water all over Arielle and the bed. He placed crosses on her body and clasped his hands together.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. I beseech thee God, take pity on us and cleanse that which needs to be cleansed."

"Who are you?" a voice asked in a cocky tone. John was flung back against the wall. There a sickening cracking sound and he lay in an unconscious heap. No one could see what had done it but they could certainly hear it's laughter.

"My precious friend is quite attached to me. I won't be leaving anytime soon."

"What did Arielle ever do to you?" Mai shouted angrily. The voice didn't answer which only made her angrier.

"You're horrible! Pathetic! Hiding in the shadows and getting someone else to do your dirty work! Your weak and scared! Show yourself you coward!"

"Mai! That's enough! We are getting out of here." Naru tried to grab her by the arm but she pulled herself out of his reach.

"I'm not letting her face this alone! I know what these things can do to a person! I've faced them before!" Naru looked pained remembering what he had seen in Mai's past.

"I know what it feels like to think..." she started to tear up. "To feel like you're a monster... to feel like you have no place. Arielle is lonely and that thing is lying to her! It doesn't want to be friends! T's using her and it'll cast her away like trash once it's finished! I won't let that happen!" she decided that there was ever a time to use her powers now was it. She intertwined her fingers with Arielle's and closed her eyes.

"Please... Arielle... let me in..."

…...

I'm such a mean author...^^; Anywho, please Rate and Review :3 I'm having a small case of writer's block lately so updates may be a bit slower than usual. Plus school is being a b*tch T.T Curse you Environmental Science and your ability to consume all my Ghost Hunt time! D:(


	11. File 11: Spirit of Discernment & Deceit

Disclaimer: OMG I'M SO EXCITED! I have my cup of coffee, I have my computer, I have my cozy pajamas, and I have my pile of Tootsie Roll free Easter candy X3 **(Tootsie Rolls are the bane**** of my existence T.T)** I do not own Ghost Hunt so on with the chapter! Woo! oT.T/

PS: Apparently my chapter title is too long so this is "Part 2" of "A Spirit of Discernment and Deceit."

* * *

><p><strong>October 25<strong>**th****, Thursday, 3:00 pm...**

"I'm not letting her face this alone! I know what these things can do to a person! I've faced them before!" Naru looked pained remembering what he had seen in Mai's past.

"I know what it feels like to think..." she started to tear up. "To feel like you're a monster... to feel like you have no place. Arielle is lonely and that thing is lying to her! It doesn't want to be friends! It's using her and it'll cast her away like trash once it's finished! I won't let that happen!" she decided that there was ever a time to use her powers now was it. She intertwined her fingers with Arielle's and closed her eyes.

"Please... Arielle... let me in..."

ooo

_Mai had entered a place she had never been before. It was very dark but there were ribbons of color that would stream aroun__d in the blackness. Mai had gone far past the point of reading Arielle's mind. Right now she was making a spiritual connection with the girl and had entered her very soul._

_ "It's beautiful..." Mai gasped._

_ "Mai what's going on? What's wrong with you?" she could hear Monk's voice from far away._

_ "Just sit and watch! Honestly after all you've seen her do why are you surprised!" That was Will, ever capable in making Mai laugh in even the gloomiest of situations. Since she wasn't dreaming she could hear the other's voices as well._

_ "Impulsive idiot." Mai wished Naru was there with her so she could strangle him. She ignored his comment and decided to get to work. The ribbons of color were performing a pattern and so she followed the pink one, finding it to be the one giving off the best feelings. It led her to the place where Arielle's spiritual center was located. It was covered in gray and Mai could barely see her spirit in the center. Small black spots could be seen slowly growing on the surface. The pink ribbon went to enter the gray film but was repelled viciously. But when the red ribbon came it easily entered. Mai grabbed hold of it before it completely disappeared._

~OoO~

_"Your mother is a liar you understand? She's evil and wants to tear us apart. She __may even be possessed, Arielle." the man told his daughter._

_ "But mama is so nice..." he shook his head and sighed._

_ "If mama was so nice why would she leave us? She doesn't really love us, Arielle. But I do. I'll take care of you and Noah."_

_ "Yes papa..."_

_ "Good girl."_

_ "Your father is an angry man who is lying to you, okay sweetie? He doesn't want us to be together. Satan is telling him bad things right now." the woman told her daughter._

_ "But papa says-"_

_ "Papa isn't telling the truth Arielle! He's confused and needs to find Jesus okay?"_

_ "Yes mama..."_

_ "That's my girl."_

~OoO~

_"... Are both mama and papa evil...? Am I... evil too...? …...I can't trust anybody..."_

~OoO~

_"My daughter has entered college two years early. She__'s going to partake in a Running Start Program." the woman bragged to her friends._

_ "That's so impressive! My kids hate school. What's your secret?"_

_ "No secret. Arielle is just a very motivated smart girl. Right, sweetie?" Arielle sat at the table, now seventeen years old, drawing a beautiful picture. She nodded not really paying attention to her mother's words._

_ "She's an artist too? My goodness she's just the perfect child isn't she?" her mother beamed with pride as the women complimented and asked her daughter questions._

_ "Are you going to draw for a living?"_

_ "It would be cool to do that but I write stories too. I want to become an author."_

_ "She'll probably become an author on the side. You really like people, don't you sweetie? She's thinking about also becoming a psychologist." Arielle stopped drawing at those words. As her mother and friends continued conversing she had wondered when she had ever mentioned wanting to become a psychologist._

_ "I don't see what's so hard about keeping organized! Why won't you go see that math tutor either? You're not making a good effort! This could seriously affect your future"_

_ "You don't understand!"_

_ "You're right I don't! Please explain it to me!"_

_ "... Forget it..." Arielle turned away to walk up to her room._

_ "If you're going to be up there you might as well fill out those job applications! Universities seek out that kind of motivation!"_

_ "I don't have time for a fucking job..." she muttered._

_ "What was that?"_

_ "Nothing. I was clearing my throat." she closed her bedroom door and breathed shakily._

_ "You're so blind... Why can't you see... You're destroying me..." she felt rage coursing through her system. It was almost painful how strong her emotions had been growing. It felt as if she would explode._

_ "When will I get my happiness... When will I be free to decide...? I fucking hate it! It would be so much better for them to all just disappear! Life wouldn't be so boring then. I would be able to leave school and live on my own. Start all over and act like my past never happened... They should all just disappear. They hate their lives anyway..."_

_"What is this? Why are your grades like this? It's like you're doing this on purpose!" her mother and father scolded her._

_ "So when you have a common enemy you guys are best friends?" Arielle whispered._

_ "What?"_

_ "Nothing." she glared at them both and they flinched. There was something distorted about her face lately. Like it was warping._

_ "I'll get better grades so don't worry about it." she smiled. But there was something twisted behind her facade. Her mother was horrified at herself for thinking this way but she couldn't help but think her daughter looked like someone who was plotting something. Like the murdered in a film who smiles before stabbing someone._

~OoO~

_Mai __let go of the ribbon and it flowed freely into Arielle's spirit. Another black spot appeared._

_ "She's so angry..." Mai didn't know it was possible to feel like that. She had felt extreme anger before but never a murderous rage like that. What happened to Arielle didn't seem like such a big deal at first. Lots of kids didn't do well in school and lots of kids had divorced parents but there was something more extreme about her situation. Everything felt unexplainable and completely uncontrollable. There was something... maddening about it._

_ "What are you doing here?" Mai knew Arielle was speaking to her._

_ "I am trying to help you Arielle. I can feel how angry you are. You need to tell me how this happened."_

_ "... Okay..." The yellow ribbon came circling around and Mai knew that this one held the answers to her questions. She wanted to know what was causing these extreme feelings._

~OoO~

_ Who am I...? What am I...? Why is there so much uncertainty surrounding me...? I remember one thing I knew was certain. The consuming hatred that burned my insides every time I would see the members of my family that acted like they loved me so much. They knew something was wrong with me. They were all hiding something. It drove me insane with rage and it scared me! I didn't know what I was or if there something really wrong with me! Was I imagining it all! What if I really was crazy! I wanted to make them hurt like I was hurting! It was sickening that I thought that way but I didn't want to change. I was so scared... so scared... what if I was imagining that I was crazy...? What if I had become so good at lying that I didn't know what the truth was anymore...? What if I wasn't really lying and just thought I was? I was so scared... I remember that I would have constant nightmares ever since I started feeling this way. But there was on night when in those dreams a horrible face appeared. I shot awake instantly and that's when I heard his name. I won't say it because it in itself is a curse. I'm too afraid to even let it pass my lips. The following night I drew in the security of my room._

_ "What a pretty picture." his first words. I'll never forget them. I had a new friend. But this one was different. He didn't want to cause pain to anyone I knew like the ones I had known before. He wanted me. He treasured me and called me his precious friend. He would pat my head before I went to sleep. He loved me..._

_ "Your parents shouldn't make you so angry."_

_ "School isn't important, you should do what you want."_

_ "Don't you want to be special? I can make you special, so stay with me."_

_ He had a nasty habit of scaring me though. Every night I would go through the house turning off the lights and tidying up before bed. A white wolf would appear suddenly in the windows and would make me drop dishes. He would laugh and chant "I scared you! I scared you!" But I didn't get angry like before. It all seemed to be in good fun. But then things started getting out of hand. I would walk towards the stairs to my room and an orange ape with a distorted head and long gangly arms would smash against the front door. It was a glass door so I could see it clearly but making eye contact would be fatal because it would start to seep through and reach for me with its long dirty fingernails. I would run up the stairs to escape but there would always be that horned snake waiting for me. He would curl around the arms of the stairs and his tail would wave under my feet trying to trip me. Once I would get halfway up he would slither up faster than lightening to try to swallow me but he would always miss, just by a hair though. I never wanted to wake my parents, for fear they would discover something, so the house was always silent... far too silent. I could hear every breath, every movement, and every thought of the things surrounding me. I was so scared... scared that he didn't treasure me anymore._

_ I remember waking up to something jumping up and down on top of me. It was trying to suck the life out me along with its three friends standing in the door cheering it on with strange words I didn't understand. But before I could even scream for help he knocked them away._

_ "She is mine!" he growled. They didn't take what he said seriously at first but after he had thrown them around a bit they were gone in an instant. I cried in his arms as he stroked my hair assuring me they would never come back. But the scaring by the creatures in and around my house continued and only became more frightening with each passing day._

_ I finally got up the courage to tell my father and my brother. But... you heard what happened. Not long after they were gone my step dad had a heart attack. They ran in his family so it wasn't a very big surprise. Mama and I had no home anymore because she couldn't pay for the house. But then mama's friend told her about the Davis'. They needed a maid and her friend could get her connected with them. We would have to leave America but that didn't matter. I had nothing there for me anyway. So we came to live with Mr. and Mrs. Davis. He came with us too of course..._

ooo

**4:00 pm...**

Mai released her grip on Arielle's hand and fell back on the hard wood floor.

"Mai!" Naru shouted holding supporting her in his arms. He felt her forehead and checked her wrist. He was totally exaggerating the situation but no one seemed to notice for they were panicking too. Except for Will of course. Nothing ever seemed to catch her off guard.

"Where's John...?" Mai moaned. Rubbing her head. Naru looked slightly irritated but still answered her question.

"He's resting."

"He broke his wrist. Luckily I patched him up." Ayako said feeling rather proud of herself. It was helpful to have a doctor on the team.

"I need to see him." Mai stood on her own but her legs wouldn't move. And like a boneless sack of jelly she started to fold over onto the ground. Naru caught her and held her bridal style.

"Ms. Matsuzaki!" Naru was starting to panic as now Mai had fainted.

"Would you all stop fussing! You look like chickens running around with their heads cut off!" they looked at her wondering what the hell she was talking about. Her American sayings never did make much sense to them.

"She'll wake up in just a bit. Her mom was the same way. Always fainting after using up to psychic energy."

"What did she do in the first place?" Monk asked watching bewildered as Naru lied her gently in a chair.

"Well.. um... I don't exactly know what it's called. It's not exactly mind reading... it's bigger than that because she can feel the emotions too." she said pacing, trying to think of a good term.

"Mai can read minds now?" Ayako asked thinking Will was crazy.

"Well yeah, but that's not the point! Ahhhhh! What is that term?"

"She is an Empath." Naru said. Will snapped her fingers exclaiming he was indeed correct.

"Mai's mom was a perfect Empath. She was able to feel and see the person's emotional experiences just by touching them. Looks like Mai is following in her footsteps." she smiled softly remembering past experiences listening to Mai's mom tell stories about her powers.

"Anyway, she'll wake up soon and then we'll find out what she saw. You'll have to be more cautious around her now. Don't let her touch you." Will grinned.

"Why?" Naru asked impatient with Will's way of never fully giving a reason.

"You should know how unstable psychic powers are. Mai has read my mind by just bumping into me before. You wouldn't want her getting inside that head of yours, would you?" she asked looking at him with a sly smile.

"Who knows what she might find out." Will could feel his death glare piercing her soul as she walked away chuckling to herself.

ooo

_"You're a special girl aren't you? How interesting. But you'll never be like my Arielle."_

_ "Why are you doing this too her? If you keep this up she'll die!"_

_ "Haha! Won't that be funny!"_

_ "How are you supposed to feed off of her after she's dead! This will only destroy you too!"_

_ "Hmmm... that is a problem now isn't it?"_

_ "You're a monster! You hide in the shadows and are too scared to even show your face! You're a coward!"_

_ "You want to see my face?"_

ooo

"Is everything okay in here?" while waiting for Mai to awaken they went to check on Luella and the others. Mao was knitting in a recliner next to the window. She noticed Lin entered the room and she turned away from him sticking her nose in the air. He went back to the base to check on the equipment.

"Seems like somebody's in trouble." Monk snickered.

"You look very close. I'm guessing eight months?" Ayako asked, her motherly side showing as she fawned over Mao's belly.

"Eight months and one week, tomorrow." Mao said. "You can feel if you want to. The baby's kicking." Ayako couldn't resist and placed her hand delicately where Mao pointed.

"So energetic!" she cooed. "Is it a boy?"

"My husband wanted to stick to tradition and wait until birth to discover the gender. But I think it is a boy. I know Koujo would prefer a boy first too." a stitch slipped off of her needle and she whined angrily.

"Are you nervous?" Will asked curiously feeling where Ayako felt.

"Wanna feel too Naru? I know you love babies!" Will teased. Naru was wondering what had possessed him to hire this girl.

"A little... But I imagine a normal eighteen year old would be a lot more nervous than I am." Mao chuckled. The room went silent and she wondered what she had said.

"You're eighteen?" Will asked thinking she had just heard her wrong.

"Yes? I'll be nineteen in March."

"You're the same age as Naru!" she gasped looking at the boy. He wasn't shocked like everyone else. But he had known Mao when she married Lin so that was to be expected.

"Lin's a cradle robber!" Will shouted dramatically. Mao burst out laughing. She clutched her stomach.

"Oh I'm sorry! Did I startle you? Poor thing. It's been a while since I laughed that hard." her laughter had made the baby jump.

"My husband is only twenty two." she smiled. "He acts like an old man doesn't he?" Ayako was suddenly very depressed.

"He's younger than me... and he's already married and is going to be a father." she said in a gloomy tone. Monk felt the same way.

"You two need to get on the band wagon or you'll be useless as tits on a bull. Or are you planning on eatin' supper before you say grace?" Will teased. **(This is actually something that my grandpa says XD It means "having kids before marriage.")** They both blushed and avoided each other's eyes. The awkward silence was broke with Mai's scream.

"Are you okay?" Lin asked. She was holding onto him tightly and shaking uncontrollably.

"That face... that was horrible... is that... a demon?" she let go of him and apologized.

"Sorry. I can't imagine seeing that face every night."

"You saw a demon?" John was up now after hearing her scream. His wrist was neatly bandaged and placed in a sling around his neck just in case.

"I saw 'the' demon. There's only one. He's creating all the creatures that have been frightening Arielle. Now I understand why she didn't tell us."

"I thought it would be strange for there to be more than one." John said now able to make sense of the situation. "Demons are creatures that fight amongst themselves so seeing collaborations is rare."

"That's good right? Now we only have one to get rid of." Will wondered optimistically.

"Not exactly. Arielle is very attached to this demon."

"She thinks he is her friend." Mai said sadly. John nodded.

"That is how a demon works. They will make you think you need them and that they care about you. Arielle must be harboring a lot of hate, loneliness, and fear. She'd be a prime candidate for any demon's deceiving ways."

"But you can get rid of it right?" Mai asked looking at him hopefully. John nodded.

"I can't exorcise him but..." of course there was always a catch. "That doesn't mean he'll stay away."

"How can a demon return once it is exorcised?" Monk asked. "I thought that meant you destroyed it?"

"Not at all. Demons are supernatural beings doing the bidding of Satan. It would surely take an incredible person to destroy one. Even I'm not that at that stage. I still have much to learn from God. That's probably why the demon didn't recognize me as a threat when I tried to exorcise it before. Now that I can understand what I am addressing it'll be easier to ward him away but Arielle is so attached to him he'll only come back. It'll be an endless cycle unless she does something herself." that put a damper on everyone's spirits. Mai heard a small clicking on the window in the silence and she turned around to look.

"W-what is that!"

* * *

><p>Mwuahahahahahaha! Cliff hanger! This case is so close to being solved! Oh I can't wait! I wonder what'll happen next! o.0 Please Rate and review!<p> 


	12. File 12: Spirit of Discernment & Deceit

Disclaimer: There is no way to describe how I feel right now other than through the ever so wonderful Happy Dance! *happy dancing* I don't own Ghost Hunt but nothing can dampen my spirit's right now so I don't care! Onto chapter 12!

PS: Will gives her thanks for all of the kind reviewers who have commented on her. She sends you all hugs and kisses! \^3^/

…...

**October 25****th****, Thursday, 5:00 pm...**

"W-what is that!" Mai screamed. An orange furry creature smiled in at them through the window. Its eyes were huge and yellow, the skin surrounding them was dried and peeling away. It had a large open nose, like two gaping holes in the center of its face. Its teeth were long and yellow but were jagged and spaced far apart. Its creepy rotting smile gave off nauseating vibes. Everyone in the room could see it and jumped waiting for it to attack. But it simply kept clicking its long, yellow, dirty fingernail against the window glass... waiting to be let in. Mai suddenly remembered how familiar this creature was.

"Don't look at it! Don't get near it!" she screamed. Masako was the only one who couldn't look away.

"I-I've never... seen anything like that... what... is it doing to me?" her eyes were glued to it and her body quivered trying to move away. It laughed in a much deeper voice than it looked to have and started to seep in through the window. Its nose came through first and along with it a putrid smell permeated the room.

"In the name of God be gone!" John shouted. The creature was flung back away from the window a short distance. It came rushing back though and started swinging its long gangly arms at the window, screeching angrily. The glass would shake but it didn't break and when John ordered the creature to disappear once more it faded away, still fighting to break through. Masako stumbled slightly but was able to regain her footing.

"Wha... what?" John eyed her carefully and looked relieved.

"She's fine. Mai, why did you tell us to look away?" he asked.

"That thing was one of the creatures that's been haunting Arielle. I remember her telling me about an orange ape like creature. She said that if she made eye contact it would be able to come into the house. Apparently the more she saw it the worse it got."

"Oh would you look at the time! Time to go back to Japan! See ya there!" Monk grabbed Will by the collar of her shirt before she could run away.

"You told me that you didn't get scared in these kinds of situations. What happened to the girl that was never caught off guard?" he asked with a cocky grin.

"She's on vacation!" she struggled to get free but Monk was a lot stronger than her so she ended up just dangling there unhappily. Footsteps pounded towards the door and Luella burst through shouting that Melva had gone missing.

"I heard her scream and when I went into her room she had disappeared!" she sobbed. Naru was just about to go looking himself but Arielle came through the room.

"_What did you do? He's so angry..._" she asked. There was a mark on the back of her neck. Like two fingers had gripped her hard enough to make a bruise.

"_Your __friend just kidnapped my little sister._" Naru spat. Arielle looked shocked.

"_Did you see him take her?_" Luella shook her head "no."

"_I heard her scream and when I went to her room she was gone._"

"_Did you check the __closet?_" Arielle clutched Luella by the arms.

"_N-no...? But-_" before she could finish Arielle had run out of the room and down to Melva's. Naru and the others followed. But something was waiting for them. Arielle fell backwards scrambling to get away from the horned viper that had curled itself around the staircase. It watched in anticipation, waiting for someone to get closer.

"_Let me through! Please_!" it grinned and very slowly moved its head from side to side.

"_You should have stayed quiet. Now we are gathering. Are you prepared to face e__verything you've encountered?_" Arielle's breathing stopped and the snake smiled again this time slithering down and wrapping itself around her.

"_That's right you're scared aren't you? Good... he has to punish you. You've been a bad girl._" it quickly tightened itself around her and began to squeeze. She gasped for air as she could feel her bones being crushed, puncturing her insides. Its mouth opened and its tongue tickled over her skin as it slowly engulfed her.

"_Arielle! It's not real!_" Mai screamed actually speaking English this time and shaking the gasping girl like a rag doll. The color rushed back to her as she breathed the sweet air. Mai patted her back and looked to see the viper was now gone.

"_Are you okay?_" she asked.

"_Fine. Damn it... he's __getting stronger... Why am I so afraid!_" she screamed. A clicking on the window next silenced her immediately. The orange ape was back.

"_Run!_" Arielle screamed dashing up the stairs. At the top she looked around frantically. Footsteps could be heard running back and forth through the hallways.

"_Follow me and don't stop moving!_" she said rushing down the hallway. The footsteps could be heard increasing in volume and in number.

"It's in the walls!" Monk shouted seeing the paint chip and fly away as the boards warped. They stopped ready to stand and face whatever it was.

"_I said don't stop moving!_" Arielle shouted. But it was herself that she needed to look out for. Three goblin like creatures, short and cobby, burst from the wall and pinned her down. She screamed hysterically but her mouth was covered by one as the other began to beat her across the head with a large stick. It was trying to crack her skull open. Lin used his Shiki to knock them off momentarily. Mai and Ayako picked Arielle up and used pieces of their own clothing to try and stop the bleeding from her forehead. Lin and Monk finally were able to take out their frustration with this case on the goblins and soon the creatures ran away crying for protection from their master.

"How many fingers?" Ayako asked. Arielle knew what she was asking despite the Japanese.

"_Three. Those things aren't as strong as they look. A long time ago he used them to try and regain my trust in him. Now I know that it was all just a trick._" she said dabbing at the bleeding spot on her head. It wasn't a very deep cut. They hurried to Melva's room and when everyone was inside she shut the door. Of course that wasn't the end of it and on Melva's bed stood the white ape with the spider's face. It stared at them hungrily and spread its jaws, allowing mucus to trial down its chin. It hopped onto the ground and crawled towards their legs snapping at their feet. It caught Will by the shoe.

"What do you think you're doing! These are Guess!" she freed her foot and kicked it in the face as hard as she could. It squealed a pig like noise when her heal punctured one of its many eyes. It scrambled underneath the bed but Lin cast his Shiki after it. It fled outside, phasing through the window. Then it was time to look in the closet. The usually frightened Arielle seemed to be fearless when it came to protecting other people. She flung open the doors without hesitation and there stood the black bear. She locked eyes with it and the others watched in awe as she stared it down.

"_Let. Her.__ Go._" she said each word firmly and without fear. It took one step towards her.

"_You think I'm afraid of you! I was scared of you when I was six but not anymore!_" she slapped its nearing paw away and it faded away just as the orange ape had. Melva cowered in its place.

"_Big brother!_" she cried tears rolling down her cheeks as she rushed into his arms.

"_Are you okay? Did it hurt you?_" he asked frantically.

"_It couldn't hurt her. It doesn't work that way. It just scared her is all._" Arielle explained as he picked up the sobbing little girl.

"Let's go back to base." Naru said turning the doorknob.

"_No! Don't!_" when he opened the small, cobby, goblin like creature rammed its fist into his gut. He gasped for air and almost dropped Melva but Lin pulled them both back slamming the door shut again.

"Naru!" Mai gasped as he was lied down onto the bed. He just had the wind knocked out of him but he said it felt like he had been stabbed.

"_I we keep the door closed we should be safe. They'll get bored soon and le__ave._" Arielle explained.

"How do you know all of this?" Ayako asked getting frustrated. Will translated.

"_I've lived with these things my whole life. I've got a pretty good idea of how they like to work._" she said closing he blinds to the window. She knew something else would start to peak in if she didn't.

"_I'm sorry you got dragged into this. He never harmed other people before._"

"_So why has he started?_" Naru asked after finally catching his breath.

"Because he sees us as a threat." John explained.

"But I thought you said he would only come back even if we did exorcise him." Monk said. John nodded assuring that that had not changed.

"_You have a deep compassion for others. You don't like seeing them get hurt. The demon knows this._" John said to Arielle.

"_Obviously not. She sure showed some guts when it came to protecting Melva. That was impressive._" Will said giving her a thumbs up. John continued to explain.

"_The reason the demon doesn't want us around and is trying to frighten us is because it bel__ieves we can get through to you. Arielle, the only way for you to be rid of this is to exorcise it yourself._"

**5:30 pm...**

After a while they were able to exit Melva's room and everyone, including the maids and the butler were to stay in the base room. Luckily it was a rather large room that could fit them all easily. Arielle sat in the corner thinking over what John had said. How could she, someone who was so afraid and weak, exorcise a demon who had been haunting her most of her life. Mrs. Hall noticed her daughter in the corner.

"Arielle." she said sitting by her side.

"You know, grandma could see these kind of things too." the entire room heard this and listened intently to Mrs. Hall story.

"She wasn't nearly as sensitive to it as you but every once in a while she would see glimpses of the supernatural world. I used to be able to see it too. But they went away when I met your father. He was an exorcist and a very good one at that." Arielle had guessed that when she had gotten older, remembering how he had cast out the demon haunting their house.

"But they didn't come back to haunt you even after you got your divorce." Arielle said.

"They tried to. But you know, seeing how weak and pathetic they were without me made me realize that they couldn't do anything. They had no power over me unless I gave it to them. That's why you need to be strong and take back what you're giving them." Arielle nodded knowing that was the answer but she still didn't feel the confidence she needed. It only made her angrier at herself for not being able to get rid of the problems she was causing other people. Her mother kissed her on the forehead and then asked if Lin would escort her to the restroom. She cautiously exited leaving Arielle alone with her thoughts.

"_You shoul__dn't be upset with yourself._" Mai said. Arielle smiled.

"_Your English isn't that bad. You just got a thick accent is all._" she said. "_And I'm more __frustrated than anything._"

"_When you need act you will. Don't let CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS!_" she shouted looking at Naru. "_Pressure you into rushing yourself. You'll be ready when you're ready._" she finished. Arielle took comfort in her words. She continued to stare at the wall when her vision started to blur.

"Hey Arielle why don't you try sleeping a lil'?" Will asked looking over her shoulder. Arielle didn't answer her but only stared with wide eyes at nothing. Well, nothing they could see. Her eyes had traveled down the hall to where Lin was standing. He had his Shiki guarding the door and soon Mrs. Hall emerged ready to return to base. But neither of them could see what was watching them.

"_Mom..._" Arielle shot up and ran through the base doors and towards a very surprised Lin. He had almost attacked her. She stood before her mother staring behind. She couldn't get out her words and it was getting closer every second.

"_S-Stop!_" she commanded. The form jerked and hit the wall like something had kicked its feet out from under it. It was revealed to everyone now. A faceless man, dress in black clothes. His skin was splattered with pink and white patches. It swelled and bulged in strange places. It reached out its arm for Mrs. Hall but Arielle was tired of being threatened.

"_I rebuke you in the name of Jesus Christ!_" the man's body froze and started to fold into itself, its bones cracking and the skin slowly withering away. All that was left was a small withered black form, trying to hide itself behind scrawny arms. It was the demon that had been tormenting her all along.

"_That's what's been bothering you?_" Will laughed. "_Doesn't look so scary to me!_" Arielle smiled and crouched down looking her old friend straight in the eye.

"_You told on me... tattle tale..._" he whined. Then he disappeared.

**7:00 pm...**

"Pie!" Will squealed in delight when the butler placed a slice of apple pie in front of her.

"Your tastes haven't changed since we were little." Mai laughed as she watched her friend "oo" and "aw" over her desert.

"Pie should be its own food group! Just like Corn dogs and Chocolate!" she said waving her fork around. The team laughed at the girls' antics as her and Mai argued over which of their favorite foods was better. Arielle sat calmly in a chair next to a window.

"Would you like a slice as well, Ms. Hall?" Harrison asked.

"Oh, no thank you." she said only glancing away for a moment. He smiled and placed it back on the desert cart.

"It's nice to be able to look out the window again isn't it?"

"Yeah... I missed this." when he walked away she thought to herself how the solution to her problems had been in front of her the whole time.

"_But... could it really be as simple as it seemed?_"

ooo

_Mai found herself yet again in one of her dreams. She looked around and sure enough there was the dream Naru there to greet her. But he seemed panicked. He pointed frantica__lly and Mai saw the forest in the backyard. Arielle was out there._

_ "Arielle? What is she doing out there? Is that... what is that! Naru?" she couldn't make out what she was seeing but Arielle was slowly disappearing into the trees._

_ "Wake up! Go stop her Mai!" he shouted._

ooo

**9:00 pm...**

Mai jumped out of bed. She had been so exhausted from the case that she had gone to bed earlier than anyone else. They were all still awake talking in one of the living rooms. They practically had a heart attack when Mai burst through the door in her pink frilly pajamas.

"Mai?" Monk asked trying not to laugh at her attire. He thought this also must have been Will's doing. Mai looked frantically around the room.

"Where is Arielle?" she asked them.

"She went to bed. Why?" Luella responded. Mai took off in the direction of Arielle's room and when she entered it was as she feared. The team watched puzzled as Mai headed outside in her bare feet towards the woods.

"_Arielle's not in her room!_" Mrs. Hall called to the others. They followed Mai's trail to where she had remembered seeing Arielle in her dream. She was on her knees with her face cupped in her hands.

"Mai! Where's Arielle?" Will asked trying to make out the words between her sob.

"I-I c-couldn't stop he-her! She's g-gone!"

**October 26****th****, Friday, 1:00 am...**

Arielle was nowhere to be found. The team had searched for four hours and had called the police but the girl had disappeared without leaving a single trace, not even so much as a footprint. By now the police were filing her away in their archives as a missing person and apologized to a very emotional Mrs. Hall for not being able to find her daughter. The team was basking in the gloom of their base room. None of the cameras had been left on so they didn't have any data on what had happened and none of the sounds systems had picked up anything. The case was a failure, their first.

"I don't understand why she would leave... I wish I would have seen what she was following!" Naru had shot her an annoyed glance which, despite him looking away rather quickly, was still noticed by Mai.

"If you want to say something than by all means I'm all ears." she hissed.

"It's nothing. It's just that instead of wasting time checking the entire house and asking us of Ms. Hall's whereabouts you should have checked the place you had seen her in first. It only makes sense."

"You're totally blaming me for this aren't you!" she shouted completely outraged.

"I never said anything of the sort." he turned his back to her.

"You are unbelievable! I can't believe you would point fingers in a situation like this! You're horrible!"

"Don't excuse your own incompetence with any faults I don't have." Mai was appalled. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Apparently neither could someone else.

"I can't take it anymore!" Will screamed. She grabbed both Naru and Mai and dragged them down the hallway and chucked them anime style into a random bedroom. The team looked on amused as Will's southern fury rained down.

"I swear to the Lord almighty if you to don' make up right now I'm gon' beat ya both like red headed step babies! Lord as my witness you both so stubborn it's like argu'in with a fence post! Ya both need to grow some balls n' fess up to ya's feelin's right now! Otherwise your ass is grass n' I'm the lawnmower!" she slammed the door shut and went to the kitchen to calm her nerves with another slice of pie. Meanwhile inside the bedroom... **(Wow that sounds like a naughty line...)**

"I've never seen Will that angry before..." Mai awed still staring at the door. She turned around lacking a response and fond Naru halfway out the window.

"What are you doing?" she gasped. "Am I really that horrible to be around!" he didn't answer and looked to be judging if he could jump from that height and survive. Mai couldn't take it anymore and all of her emotions burst out in one single sentence.

"Oliver Davis you stop right there!" Naru froze and looked back at her like she had lobsters crawling out of her ears. He pushed up the old window more so he could get his head underneath. Mai pulled him back inside not willing to let him escape. She didn't keep her footing though and both of them landed on the bed, Mai straddling him blushing like mad. He tried to get up but she, despite her embarrassment pinned him down by the arms.

"Mai wha-" she cupped his face in both her hands. Naru couldn't stop her now.

ooo

_"Oreevah!" Mai whined. "I don't wanna go!" she clung onto him for dear life. He tried to free himself but she held fast like an octopus._

_ "Let go! You're wrinkling my clothes!" he protested. He straightened his shirt but then saw she was sitting on the ground wiping away the small tears under her eyes. That's when little Oliver Davis felt something he had never felt before. The little narcissist felt guilty._

_ "I... I'm sorry." he stuttered trying not to look her in the eyes. She stopped and looked up. He couldn't help but think that slightly flushed face with the big brown eyes was cute._

_ "If I marry Oreevah can I stay?" All of Oliver's logic flew out the window and he had no idea what to do._

_ "M-m-marry?" he asked bewildered as any little boy would._

_ "I'll be the best wife! I promise!" she pleaded with huge teary brown eyes. Oliver felt his knees go weak. There was something evil about those eyes. They made him feel sick and happy all at the same time._

_ "Alright... but only if you are super pretty and smart! Just like my mother!" he demanded. Mai beamed with happiness and did something strange with her lips. Oliver cocked his head and wondered what this strange phenomena was._

_ "What are you doing?"_

_ "Kiss goodbye. Like your mommy and daddy do." she explained. He blushed at the outlandish idea but still thought it over. He ended up giving her a small kiss on the cheek much to her disappointment._

_"When you grow up I'll give you the best kisses." he said._

~OoO~

_"Naru... What do you feel... towards me?" Naru felt his muscles tighten and his heart suddenly ached. She smiled at him in a ridiculous way but for some reason it seemed almost... cute __to him._

_ "Naru is my special person... the most special... I was so happy that you didn't run away... I was scared you wouldn't like me... Naru is my most special person." he couldn't take much more of this. He didn't know why but hearing all of these things seemed to annoy him... maybe it wasn't annoy, perhaps it was more confusing than anything._

_ "Mai..."_

_ "Naru... I love you... What about you?" she passed out after that last sentence and it was a good thing too. He couldn't take one more second in that room. He burst out the door and leaned against the wall. Sliding down to a sitting position he looked panicked and noticed his hands were sweaty._

_ "What the... what is going on?" he wondered. "I don't understand this? What do you mean 'what about you?' How should I know. Why am I even thinking about this? It wasn't like she was speaking seriously. She was on Morphine. But... what do I feel towards Mai...? Why am I so confused...? I'll just ignore it..."_

~OoO~

_"What is going on with me? Why do I feel so c__onfused when I see her? Why do I keep thinking about what she said in the hospital?"_

_ "What's with this outfit? Why is she suddenly wearing make-up? Why should I care?"_

_ "Since when could she understand English? I didn't know that about her. Come to think of it I don't know a lot about Mai... it's irritating._

_ "What is that smell on her? She smells like Earl Grey... It's nice... I won't tell her that..."_

_ "What is she wearing now! That shirt is way too low! I can almost see her.. her... I don't understand at all! What if other men see her! I don't want them seeing her like-... am I... jealous?"_

_ "She's nothing but trouble I can't be feeling this way about someone like her. That's ridiculous. I don't need these feelings. If I ignore them they'll go away... If she finds out she'll only think less of me, wouldn't she? This woman is so irritating! Completely illogical and irrational! But at the same time..."_

ooo

Mai looked at him and he looked at her. He knew what she had seen and now there was no denying it. He was not looking forward to this conversation.

"Naru..." she began.

"_Here it comes._" he thought.

"Do you... love me?" she asked. She herself was dumbfounded by the sentence. She never thought she would ask NARU that question. The cool look that was usually present on his face remained there as always and he slowly got up. He started to walk away completely ignoring her protests to come back.

"No! I'm tired of waiting!" she hoped onto his back and wrapped her arms and legs around him tightly.

"Mai..." he groaned. "Get off." she shook her head "no" refusing to budge. He sighed exasperated.

"If I promise to stay will you let go?"

"Only if you're not lying."

"I don't lie." she slowly slid off and looked at him with a sad yet hopeful expression.

"You're extremely irritating." he said. Her mouth dropped.

"That wasn't an answer!" she angrily waved her finger in his face.

"I never promised to give an answer. Only not to leave." she angrily clenched her fists.

"If you won't tell me I'll read your mind again!" she threatened trying to grab onto him. He dodged her every advance and soon she was sitting on the ground feeling utterly defeated.

"Why won't you give me an answer!" she shouted punching the floor. That only resulted in her hurting herself and she crumpled over in pain.

"Idiot."

"You're the idiot..." she said quietly staring at the floor. "Stupid, stupid Naru. Idiot, unfeeling, heartless, self-important, narcissistic, egotisti-"

"Okay, okay." she perked up like an excited little dog.

"On the count of three we'll both say it." she didn't quite understand why he wanted to do it this way but if it meant she'd get an answer she didn't care.

"One. Two. Three."

"I love/like you!" Naru being the one saying "like" and with the lack of an exclamation. He smirked and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really?"

"Like!" she shouted angrily. "That's not the impression I got from those thoughts of yours!" he shrugged.

"Maybe you should pay closer attention. Unfortunately there won't be a another chance to do so." he walked towards the door and Mai's hopes and dreams deflated. She sank to the ground wanting to completely disappear. But Naru stopped and looked back.

"Tomorrow, I'd like to take you out for dinner. We can talk more there." she looked at him wondering if she had heard correctly.

"R-really...?" he suddenly smiled and her heart stopped.

"Good night, Mai." he disappeared down the hallway, hands in his pockets, feeling a little less confused inside.

…...

O.O …... Well...? You likey? No likey? I didn't make it super mushy because I wanted to stay with the serious tone my story kinda has :) But don't worry! There may be some of that in the future... *hint hint* Rate and Review pretty please \^-^/


	13. File 13: Mama Ghost Part 1

Disclaimer: The bud of romance has finally sprouted! But will it blossom? o.0 Read and find out my loyal followers oT.T/

PS: For those who are wondering what happened to Arielle; I am sorry but your questions may go unanswered for a while :c But fear not! This story is far from over!

…...

**October ****26****th****, Friday, 12:00 pm...**

"Mwuhahaha! I am God! Flee helpless stick people! You're all doomed!" Will sat on a chair in the tea room playing Meteorites on her I-phone. **(It's an amazing game where you**** throw meteorites at the towns below and destroy the****m! XD mwuahahahaha!)** Mai sat across from her rocking back in forth in fetal position.

"Hey Mai what's wro-"

"Nothing!" she shouted waving her arms around like a mad woman. Monk looked at her suspiciously then to Will for the true answer.

"Don't bug me. I'm destroying fictional people's lives." was all he got.

"I'm afraid she's been like that all morning." Mao said from across the room. She was drinking tea with Luella while consoling an emotional Mrs. Hall. Since her daughter's disappearance she hadn't stopped crying but the two women had finally managed to get her to fall asleep.

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Luella smiled. "Probably just girl problems." she said with a laugh.

"You sure look dashing." Mao noticed Monk was dressed in clothes a lot pricier and neater than his usual ones. He grinned at his girlfriend who was checking her hair in the mirror.

"I'm taking Ayako out to Manchester in a few. There was a store she saw on the way here and I thought I'd buy her something." Mao and Luella awed at the romantic couple.

"How sweet! I wish my husband would buy SOMETHING for me..." Mao glared at Lin as he entered the room. He sighed and tried his best to ignore her. But she continued with complimenting Monk on how gentlemanly he was.

"For the last time... no." Lin growled.

"I shall not be denied..." she growled back as he grabbed the camera from the room and exited.

"Are you fighting?" Ayako asked somewhat amused.

"I will have a pug Lin Koujo! I won't have any son of mine growing up without a pet!" she crossed her arms angrily. Will laughed whispering to Mai that that would be her and Naru when they were married. She didn't get the reaction she expected.

"I can't take it anymore!" Mai shouted standing up and running out of the room. Will chuckled returning to her game, remembering what had happened that morning.

**Flashback~ o.o**

"Morni-... uh... what's going on?" clothes were scattered all over the room and Mai was looking in her mirror practicing putting on eye shadow.

"Show me how to do my hair and make-up the way you do it!" she shouted shoving the mascara into Will's hands.

"Naru asked me out to dinner!" she whispered so no one possibly passing by their room could here. There was a slight pause and then Will held up her finger asking for Mai to wait a moment while she went and screamed in her pillow. When she came back she crushed her best friend in a loving hug.

"Where is he taking you? What happened? Did he confess? Was there a kiss? Details woman!" she asked impatiently. She wasn't exactly disappointed when she heard the details of the less than romantic event but she wasn't exactly pleased either.

"That sneaky bastard..." she muttered tapping her finger to her lip as she plotted.

"Let's think of this carefully. Naru doesn't like to socialize so going to a homey restaurant is a 'no' plus he doesn't fit that atmosphere. If he wants to talk it'll be privately so the place would have to have private seating meaning it would be at least a four star dining experience. Attire shall be classy with a splash of sexy. Good thing I'm so awesome and packed some dresses." Mai started to panic about going to a fancy restaurant, especially not knowing if it was for sure or not whether that was the date location. Then she started panicking over the fact that she was going on her first date. But Will told her not to worry. She would take care of everything in her own "special" way...

**End of Flashback~ o.o**

Will peeked into the hallway and saw Naru finally exit the base room to put away the last of the equipment. It was time for "Operation Location" to commence! She used her ninja skills to follow Naru around the entire house, watching as he checked the rooms for any left out equipment and then she followed him to the kitchen.

"Ah! Master Oliver." Harrison addressed Naru as he was checking over the lunch preparations.

"I had your dress clothes freshly ironed as you requested. They are waiting for you in your room.

"Good." Naru looked about the kitchen and the butler noticed he seemed like he wanted to say something else.

"Is there something bothering you sir?" he had been with Naru since he was little so he knew that uncomfortable look in his eyes.

"Harrison. If I were going on a date what restaurant should I take her to?" the maid dropped the dish she was polishing in shock. Naru glared at her clearly communicating this conversation was not to be mentioned to his mother. Harrison was equally surprised. It took him a while to stop staring at Naru but then he smiled.

"Forgive me for asking Master Oliver, but might this young lady be Ms. Taniyama?" Naru nodded. He didn't really care admitting he was taking Mai on a date to the butler. He wouldn't annoy him about it like his mother or the team would. Harrison smiled pleased. He found Mai to be exceptionally charming.

"I would suggest Francs, right here in Chester. It's an exceptional five star French restaurant. I would also suggest making a reservation and using the Davis name to request their VIP room. Your mother and father dine there frequently on their dates." Naru nodded giving him thanks, something Harrison rarely received but was always pleased to. Naru left to call the restaurant in the privacy of his room. Will followed but unfortunately wasn't able to get a look at what he would be wearing.

"Enjoying yourself Ms. Johnson?" Will glared at the butler who had scared her half to death.

"It's a black satin semi-formal suit. He won't wear a tie and I doubt he will wear a white shirt. He's too paranoid of it getting dirty." Will grinned and saluted in farewell. Now she was off to preparing what she would make sure to be the best night of Mai's life.

**7:00 pm...**

"This way Mr. Davis." The waiter directed Mai and Naru up the stairs to the special room on the balcony. It was warmly lit with a single square table set for two. A single rose in a crystal vase decorated the center of the table. The farthest wall was made of glass and overlooked the city lights. **(Naru is about to puke XD) **Mai could feel how much she was blushing as Naru sat across from her. He was already gorgeous but he looked even more so in a suit and his hair had been combed over slightly to the side. Will had discovered what he was wearing and arranged an outfit that would match his. An A-line black satin cocktail dress accessorized with black pumps, a satin black clutch, and silver diamond stud earrings with a ring from the same set. Her hair was curled in the same inward way as when she wore the pink dress on the first day of their last case. It was a miracle her outfit wasn't destroyed by Luella's tears of joy. Naru got a good lecture from her before they left but despite her anger towards him for keeping this a secret she promised to keep it on the down low. They were handed menus and unfortunately Mai had no previous experience with French cuisine. She broke the awkward silence deciding to be completely honest about what she thought of this whole thing.

"You know... this is my first date. I'm so nervous I'm afraid I won't be able to taste anything." she fidgeted in her seat twirling a small lock of her in her fingers.

"Mine too." he responded acting like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"W-what?" she stuttered. "How could that be? I'd figure a guy like you would have had a ton of dates." she gasped when she realized what she had said. He smirked.

"A guy like me? What do you mean?" she blushed and looked down at her hands that were cupped so neatly in her lap.

"Nothing... just that you're handsome is all." he was momentarily surprised by her honesty but soon recovered.

"I don't have time to date."

"Because you're a workaholic." she laughed.

"Because I'm not lazy." she knew that was coming.

"Why do you have to pick on me so much?" she growled.

"Because your reactions are amusing." that only made her angrier so she turned away from him sticking her nose in the air.

"I don't see it that way." she huffed.

"I don't believe you're supposed too." the waiter returned asking for their orders. Before Mai had time to panic Naru ordered for her.

"Thanks." she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Don't thank me yet. I know as much about french cuisine as you do." that was surprising.

"Wait... don't you eat this kind of stuff all the time?"

"Do I look like the kind of person that goes out a lot?" she laughed and shook her head.

"There's so much I don't know about you. I guess you really can't judge a book by its cover."

"Stupid. Of course you can't." he looked annoyed suddenly. "I don't know much about you either. Like how you knew I was Oliver Davis?" she gulped knowing she would have to confess to going into his room. Of course she'd leave out the strip tease part.

"Do you remember when you were around six years old and your father held a special press conference for psychics?" she asked. Naru nodded wondering how she knew about that.

"Do you remember a little girl, about five years old, brown hair, wouldn't leave you alone?" Mai was pleased to know he vaguely remembered the experience.

"That was me!" she grinned. "Anyway I became suspicious about the house after seeing in it a dream I had. Then when I realized Harrison was the same butler that watched us I became even more suspicious and... I uh... kinda snuck into your room and found some papers with your real name on them..." she confessed nervously. He didn't seem upset.

"I'm impressed. For once you actually used your brain to solve a problem." he remarked pissing her off once again as the waiter set down their first course. Seared foie gras pates with a white truffle sauce.

"It's so cute!" Mai squealed at the petite little piece of art before her. Naru translated for the waiter and he thanked her for the compliment. With the public drinking age being sixteen in England, Mai was also able to try to wine pairings that came with their meal. The foie gras was paired with the traditional choice of sweet white Bordeaux. She smelt it first and very carefully took a sip. It was sweeter than she expected. The foie gras was also a surprise. Unlike other liver dishes it had a buttery taste and velvety texture. She giggled excitedly and Naru raised an eyebrow wondering what was making her so happy. Hopefully it wasn't the wine. Next was lobster bisque to compliment the buttery elements of the liver, served with Sauvignon Blanc. Following that was the main course of Steak Au Poivre and pear Chardonnay.

"That was amazing!" Mai said with a very content smile.

"I've never eaten anything so luxurious before!" Naru smirked.

"Are you still nervous?" she blushed at her recent behavior and shook her head "no." she looked on dreamily as Naru stared out the window. The soft glow of the candles made his eyes look slightly darker... and sexier.

"Enjoying the view?" he glanced at her. She blushed ferociously and quickly averted her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked amused at how easy it was to make his date blush. She shook her head.

"N-nothing."

"You're a bad liar Mai." her eyes looked up making her resemble a child who had gotten caught red handed.

"Na... Naru?" he was becoming impatient with her sudden shyness.

"Why... why did you ask me out? I mean... this is a date, right? And you said it was your first. Why would you want to waste it on me?"

"Stupid. You think too low of yourself." she gasped meeting his very serious eyes.

"I told you that I like you so what other reason should I have for taking you out?" she felt crossed between happiness and confusion. She wanted so badly to ask why he liked her but she felt that would just chase him away. Right now she'd stick to baby steps.

"I guess you're right." she smiled. The waiter brought out their dessert of Crème Brulee Cafe and after they finished it was time to go home.

"The taxi should be here in ten minutes." Naru said closing his cell phone. Mai nodded and shivered at the chilling wind. She was surprised by Naru's gentlemanly act of draping his coat over her. Well, he actually dropped it on her head but Mai didn't really care.

"_It smells like him..._" she thought wrapping it tightly around her. It was like Naru was hugging her. She hadn't noticed before but she was a lot smaller than him, especially since he had grown taller since they first met. He was now bordering between 5'11 and 6'0. She grinned and thought about how lucky she was at this moment. They started walking towards an area that would shelter them from the wind. Naru walked a few paces ahead. Mai was still having a hard time grasping that they had just had their first date. She had so many questions she wanted to ask him. Mainly about the thoughts she had seen at the time she had read his mind. While lost in her own thoughts she tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and stumbled into him almost knocking them both over. She dangled inches above the ground as Naru held her up by the arm. Unfortunately she had scuffed her left shoe and a big white scratch appeared.

"Aw man!" she fussed trying to rub away the spot. She expected to be scolded by Naru.

"Don't worry about it. You still look ni-" he cut off those words immediately before they could escape and turned away. Mai beamed with happiness having already guessed what he was going to say.

"You think I look nice? Really?" he didn't answer so she quickly skipped up to his side.

"Naru!" she snapped trying to grab for his sleeve. She stepped in something and it splashed onto her foot. She would have ignored it but it was warm. Looking to see what it was she froze. It was like looking at a car wreck. She couldn't turn away. Until Naru grabbed her and hid her face in his chest that is. She clutched onto him tightly and he quickly moved her away from the scene. He snapped open his cell phone and listened frustrated with the amount of rings he was getting on the other end.

"Chester Police Department how may I help you?"

"I'd like to report a murder."

…...

Mao: *Posting next chapter*

Mom: "WHAT! These God damn f*cking pigs! Now they have helmets! This is bull sh*t!"

Mao: "o.0... Mom...? What are you doing...?"

Mom: "I'm playing Angry Birds! What! That's impossible! I hit him! DIE YOU B*STARDS!"

XD I love my mom! Rate and Review or she'll hunt you down o_o

PS: Obviously I'm not very experienced when it comes to writing romance so I would love to ask that if anyone has any advice please feel free to provide it. I'm all ears here! \o.o/


	14. File 14: Mama Ghost Part 2

Disclaimer: For all of those who were wondering if I had died, I "think" I'm still alive. Life's been kinda hard as of late :/ Sorry for not updating for so long! Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry Sorry! D: Anywho... OMG 46 reviews! I could cry tears of joy! I thank you all from the bottom of my heart! \^3^/ I do not own Ghost Hunt.

**October 26th, Friday, 8:45 pm...**

"Chester Police Department how may I help you?"

"I'd like to report a murder." Naru said as he clutched Mai's trembling body. He finished his conversation with the woman on the other end and snapped his phone shut. Looking down at the girl in his arms he wondered if he should ignore the woman's instructions to stay there until investigators arrived and instead take Mai home.

"Mai... calm down..."

"I... I don't want to see..." she stuttered in a high terrified voice. She wasn't the only one though that had been shaken by the sight. She could feel Naru's heart beat racing as they rested on a bench conveniently located nearby. Naru saw how Mai's ankle was painted with specks of scarlet, the source being the murdered woman hanging out of her car window. Two gaping holes in the side of what used to be her head acted like a faucet for the marred remains to trail down the car door and into a pool on the asphalt. He tried different ways of calming her down and found that stroking her hair was working the bets and soon her breathing was back to normal and she wasn't shaking anymore. Soon the police arrived with two investigators who were just as nauseated by the scene. One of them, Mr. Barlow, focused on his only known witnesses.

"Mr. Davis I presume?" Naru nodded and shook the man's hand. He was being a good boy so they could go home sooner.

"Oliver Davis." The man introduced himself as Mr. Barlow as he pulled a notebook out of his trench coat pocket..

"Where were you and what were you doing before you found the victim?" Was his first question just like in the old movies. After that he asked miscellaneous questions for the next ten minutes.

"What a pity for your evening to be ruined like this." The detective said as they waited for their taxi.

"It figures." Mai said. When she realized she said her thoughts out loud she felt ashamed for complaining. She should have been thankful that she wasn't the one murdered. The detective didn't speak Japanese so Naru translated saying she was just upset.

"You two enjoy the rest of your night." he grinned tipping his hat.

**9:30 pm...**

The couple exited the taxi and went around the back of the mansion as to sneak past the team. It would be troublesome for both if everyone was to find out they were suddenly dating. Mai would never hear the end of it and she feared what Masako might do to her. Naru was fumbling with his shirt and Mai noticed how wrinkled it was from her clutching him.

"I... I'm sorry." she blushed. He didn't say anything. The atmosphere felt awkward but that was to be expected. Finding a dead body was probably not the best way to end the night.

"U-um..." he looked up noticing she was still there with him. "Thank you..." she murmured looking up at him with big cute brown eyes. He looked surprised for a moment then averted his gaze.

"For what?" he sounded irritated or flustered for an unknown reason.

"For covering my eyes... and um..."

"And?" he hated it when she spoke like this.

"H-holding me like that..." she stuttered blushing ferociously. It took her a few moments but she finally met his eyes and she did not get the reaction she had hoped for. He was smirking and leaning in closely, brushing away the bangs from her eyes. Mai was so surprised she remained as motionless as a deer caught in the headlights.

"What's wrong? Why are you blushing like that?" his soft way of speaking only made her blush more and his smirk widened.

"Did you like me 'holding' you?" her's was an expression crossed between being shocked, angry, and embarrassed.

"Y-you pervert! I didn't mean it like that!"

"I'm not the one blushing over a simple hug." she glared at him and turned away, sticking her nose in the air.

"I'm not blushing over a hug! I'm blushing because it was someone like YOU who hugged me!"

"Someone like me?" she groaned at her word choice and decided to escape the situation by going inside.

"Never mind!" but she had already fueled the fire of Naru's curiosity.

"No. I want to know what you mean." he clasped her hand and pulled her over to the old Oak tree. She looked at their fingers intertwined and gulped. He leaned in closely, taking her chin between his thumb and index finger forcing her to face him. She gasped and placed her hands against his chest trying to push him away.

"Wha-wha! Stop! I-" she squeezed her eyes shut as he came closer, their faces almost touching. His breath danced over her lips as he used his free arm to block her escape.

"Are you going to tell me?"

"N-no, never!" She thought he was going to kiss her right then and there. But instead... he bit down gently on her nose. She was flabbergasted and covered her face, sputtering jumbled up words as she pounded him in the chest with tiny fists of fury.

"P-pervert! You jerk! Did you just bite me! Pervert, pervert, pervert!" Then Naru laughed. He actually laughed! That stunned her even more. She couldn't believe that not only was she was seeing the ultimate, non-expressive, gloomy narcissist's laughing face, but she was also seeing an adorable, even "child-like", laughing face. It was too much for her to take and her mind ran wild with girlish fantasies.

"You're so easy to tease." he chuckled admiring her reaction.

"I'm glad I can be so amusing." she said with a sarcastic glare after coming back down to earth.

"I wouldn't date a boring woman... Come on." he motioned her inside after opening the door. He was being surprisingly gentlemanly tonight. She only made it up the first cobblestone step when she heard a distracting noise. She turned and looked back into the forest to see what it was.

"Mai?" Naru asked. She looked at him and noticed his mouth was moving but she couldn't hear any words. She staggered suddenly feeling very heavy and he gently cupped her shoulders. As he had guessed she soon fainted in his arms.

ooo

_Mai looked around and realized that she was in what used to be Arielle's room. The only difference was that Arielle was still there and was sitting on her bed, looking very worried._

_ "I'm not special like my parents were… I can't possibly have the power to get rid of these things through a few meager words! But if I don't believe that they'll come back! But… what if they're here now… waiting to scare me again…?" Mai was shocked to find out that despite seeing what she could do Arielle still didn't believe in herself._

_ "Arielle! Listen to us! You're stronger than you think!" Mai was only a ghost in this dream so unfortunately Arielle didn't hear a word._

_ "Life is life. But frankly… I've never seen someone whose had problems like yours before." A voice echoed through the room. Arielle went deathly pale and looked around the room slowly, utterly terrified._

_ "Come outside and see me. It's beautiful." It said. Arielle thought about it for a minute and got up to leave. Mai realized she was seeing the events of the night Arielle had disappeared. Now they were in the woods and there stood before her a beautiful man with long silver hair and glowing blue eyes. They were clear as crystals and he held a peaceful smile. But it all felt distorted. Despite his angelic appearance he radiated a sick and perverse aura._

_ "You… who are you!" Arielle asked recognizing immediately he was not of God._

_ "You have so much talent. Take a guess my dear. Someone as experienced as you should know my name within moments." His voice was soft like velvet and each word flowed in a graceful manner. Mai hated to admit it but he was definitely one of the sexiest things she had ever seen._

_ "Me… Medrian…?" he smiled and clapped his hands softly._

_ "My, my… such a clever lady." Arielle backed away as he got closer._

_ "I will not lie to you Arielle. I am very much a demon, a very powerful demon." She looked surprised by his honesty._

_ "I've never seen someone like you. You're… so bloodthirsty… a murderer. But you don't feel hateful or appear like you want to devour your victims." Medrian laughed and clapped his hands again, amused._

_ "You know me so well already! You're right… I have no desire to eat. I merely want to kill. Such a lovely word really. Kill… say it with me… doesn't it have an addictive affect?" he delicately took her hand in his and kissed it, breathing in the scent of her flesh._

_ "Why don't I feel afraid of you?" she asked shakily and he traced his finger up her side, over her shoulder, and back down to her wrist. She shivered as he let his eyelashes tickle her face breathing in deeply once again._

_ "I like you… I'd like to take you. May I?" he traced his fingers over her face so delicately that it tickled. She looked at him seemingly entranced and asked why he needed her permission._

_ "A demon cannot play with his prey without permission. I will not love you… but I can give you the peace and what you desire most, freedom and someone to treasure you." Arielle look disappointed._

_ "You won't love me?"_

_ "A demon cannot love in the way that you phrase it. But I can lust… I lust very much for you. I want to use you and never love you." she paused for a moment, her thoughts clouded by his touch._

_ "That's okay." He smiled and his eyes glowed as he let his hands run through his new pet's hair._

_ "I want to touch you more, but not here. It's time to leave my dear." He walked back with his hand outstretched. Arielle followed and didn't look back, she didn't even spare a glance._

_ "Arielle! No! He's dangerous!" Medrian turned around and smiled. All went black and he stood merely inches away from her._

_ "A psychic girl, hmm? You're not exactly my type. Not quite... troubled enough. Why don't we make this into a little game. I'll tell you where to find her and you can try and get her back. Sound like fun?"_

_ "You're sick. What are you going to do to her? Kill her, eat her? Like your disgusting friends?" Mai hissed. He grinned._

_ "I'm elated you think so. But, no. I plan on taking very good care of my new pet if that soothes your mind. You can tell her sniveling mother that too. Now... onto our game. Here's your clue; 'We are those who will become the bridge.'" Mai didn't understand._

_ "I'm sure one of your little friends might know what I'm talking about. But I wouldn't suggest talking to them about this little chat. You wouldn't want to drag them in over their heads." he whispered in her ear. _

_ "You have no power over me!" she shouted stepping back. He smiled._

_ "No, I don't. But that doesn't mean I can't toy with you a bit." he snapped his fingers and there was a flash of light. Mai stood on the edge of a street near a lake. Suddenly she could see Naru walking carelessly across it. He was following a small glowing orb of light. She thought it to be a spirit. It was calling for help._

_ "Naru...?" he didn't hear her. Much to her horror a car came flying out of no where going at least thirty over the speed limit. She closed her eyes but heard the squealing of tires and the sounds of metal grinding against the road shoulder. She didn't dare look back._

_ "I don't like it when people interfere with my games. Some humans think that they can predict the enemies move but I tell you now that is impossible. You will never be able to understand my ways nor the ways of any demon. We are all different and constantly changing according to our great Lord's wishes. This is the power of Hell! If you don't want this to happen to your precious friends then keep your mouth shut! Otherwise I'll slice them up myself and their blood will be on your hands!" images appeared in her mind rapidly. She could see everyone fates. She saw them suffering and begging for death and she saw herself being dangled over a lake of fire, like a treat for some animal that was waiting for her down below. Mai collapsed terrified of the man. Suddenly the realization that she was speaking with a demon hit her and she screamed. His presence was overwhelming and she felt as if her skull would crack under the pressure. It was like her soul was being squeezed until every last drop of life was gone._

_ "What about now little girl... afraid?"_

ooo

Mai shot up screaming much like she did whenever she had a nightmare but this time everyone could see bruises appearing all over her body. Like she as being beaten before them. John rebuked whatever was there and it dispersed but he had the sickening feeling it wasn't because of him. It had simply served its purpose.

"Mai! Look at me!" Ayako held Mai close to her and tried to get her to open her eyes. She was hyperventilating and at this rate she was going to pass out again. Naru grabbed her from the doctors arms and held her tightly, stroking her hair like he had done before and by the grace of God it worked. Mai realized she was awake and she realized what Naru was trying to do.

_"Mai... please don't do this... I don't want to loose you."_ she heard his thoughts and smiled.

_"She's so frail, just like Gene was. No... I won't let her be like him. I'll protect her. It's my job now." _she sighed and rested in his arms. Clicks and flashes went off one after the other as Will and Luella had their own personal camera party.

"This is gold! I can't wait to print these!" Will squealed kissing her camera. Luella was saying similar things as she showed her husband her newly taken treasures. Mai froze when she realized who she was looking at. Naru's father saw her and raised an eyebrow.

"Um... you're Naru's father, right? She stood up and tried to brush away the wrinkles on her dress.

"I'm Mai Taniyama." she bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I apologize for the commotion I've caused." before he could say anything Naru spoke up.

"There's nothing to apologize for. Come on." he grabbed her by the hand and took her out of the room. Luella sighed looking at her husband. Martin looked extremely cross.

"Martin... don't you dare."

"After I specifically told him that my one request was-"

"Martin Davis you say one more word and I swear that'll be your last!" Luella shouted. Everyone flinched seeing her dark side for the first time but Mao just laughed softly.

"Mother bear's protecting her cub." Lin sighed realizing things were only going to get noisier around the house.

"Davis...?" Monk wondered aloud. Lin sighed again.

**October 27th, Saturday, 8:00 am...**

Ayako and Monk were fuming with rage. After a lengthy discussion between Martin and Luella Davis they discovered that everything they knew was a lie and that the supposedly Kazuya Shibuya was actually the famed Dr. Oliver Davis.

"Will you people just get over it!" Will moaned at the breakfast table. "He's still the same person! Just a different name. Which reminds me..." she looked at Naru with a big grin.

"I'm gonna start callin' you Ollie." Naru grimaced and Mai giggled.

"I think it suits you, don't you Naru?" he glared at her and she giggled again. It was like last night's events had vanished and truthfully they kinda had. When Mai was asked to recall what had happened to her she couldn't remember most of it. What she did remember was all such a blur that it didn't make sense.

"Mai, would you like to accompany on a little errand after breakfast?" Mao asked. "I'm sure you'd like to get out of this house and have some 'girl time', I think that's what it's called." Mai nodded and Will wanted to come along as well. The house was beginning to feel a little like a cage and she didn't feel like being caught between the crossfire of father and son anymore. Naru and his father had been fighting since they saw each other last night. Not verbally but mentally. Everyone could feel the tension in the room rise each tie their eyes would meet. Mai tried to ask Naru what was wrong but he wouldn't say a word. She was thankful when the driver closed her door and they were off into the city.

"Are things going any better with you and Lin?" Will asked concerned. Mao fumed and shook her head 'no.'

"Is it really just about the pug you want?" Mai asked. Mao sighed and once again shook her head.

"The pug argument only happened recently and that was because of our first argument. You see, Lin refuses to take me with him once he leaves here again. He's such a worrisome man." Mai sighed and told Will she was lucky for not having a boyfriend.

"I'm not at my thirty sixth week yet so the dangers are extremely slim and I consulted the doctor and everything and she says I should be fine. He just won't listen! I can't stand the thought of being separated again!"

"Did you tell him that?" Will asked. Mao rubbed her stomach.

"He told me I was being selfish and that I need to think about the baby's needs before my own. I know the baby's important but it's also important that his father is there when he's born! I don't want to be without him when I give birth. Lin has to be the one performing the blessing ceremonies and he also has to help me name our baby when he gets here... I can't do that alone... I... I miss having someone there all the time. Patting me on the head, kissing my tummy, and saying he can't wait to see his little girl. Then we'd start arguing about the gender." she giggled. Mai and Will had a hard time picturing Lin doing those things.

"I apologize Mai but I think I hate Oliver." Mai cocked her head.

"He's always been in the way. If I had powers like that than I would be the one that Lin is constantly watching over. Sometimes I feel he thinks his job is more important than his family." Will came in with her wise words of advice.

"You need too explain this to Lin but don't let him run away form it. I'm sure he thinks that what he's doing for you is best, like he's trying to keep you sheltered form his work. Being an Omni... Omnoya... spirit dude thingy must be dangerous right?" Mao giggled at Will's attempt to pronounce Onmyoji. She nodded.

"But he's powerful enough to be able to protect me and he knows it. Thanks, I think I'll speak with him when we get back."

**12:30 pm...**

Mao and Mai didn't really feel like buying anything but Will couldn't resist buying at least seven new pairs of shoes, not like she needed anymore. They decided to stop for lunch at a small cafe. After they finished their meal they decided to sit a while longer and enjoy the sunshine. Mai overheard a disturbing conversation.

"Really? You think she's haunting you?" the friend of a trembling girl asked.

"Last night when I got the phone call I went to wash my face after crying. I saw her in my mirror. It was horrible... her face was gone... there was blood all over her. She was screaming and trying to tell me something but I couldn't hear her. She keeps showing up everywhere. Right now she's standing across the street watching us." Mai looked in the direction the girl glanced and she clasped her hands to her mouth.

"Mai...?" Will asked. Mai thought she was going to loose the food in her stomach. It was the murdered woman she had stumbled upon last night. Her head still had tow whole in it and blood trailed endlessly down her body. She was screaming and waving her arms around trying to get somebody's attention. Then she met Mai's eyes.

…...

Yay! You people have no idea how hard it was writing this chapter! There were seven different ways I could write it and each made it so the story would go a completely different route and I had a killer time deciding o_o But luckily I did so now I just gotta get my notes together and keep on writing oT.T/ Please rate and review \o.o/


	15. File 15: Mama Ghost Part 3

Disclaimer: If I owned Ghost Hunt there would have been babies at the end T_T I had originally planned on really dragging the short mystery at the beginning of this chapter out but then I got bored with it so it just became a stepping stone :p Anyway, please enjoy this chapter oT.T/

PS: WARNING! There is a scene in this chapter in which Mai is topless but it isn't in the way you're thinking! It's just a funny/cute scene to lighten the mood. NO LEMON, LIME, OR WHATEVER KIND OF FRUIT YOU CAN THINK OF! XD... that is all... oT.T/

…...

**October 27th, Saturday, 12:30 pm...**

The woman's eyes met Mai's and almost immediately she stood inches away from Mai's face. Will and Mao didn't know what was happening but then three small drops of blood appeared like rain on Mai's cheeks. Mai was frozen, resisting the urge to vomit from the putrid stench of death surrounding the ghost.

_"Can you help her...? He's lying to her... my son... Jack... can you stop him...? The money... she needs it..."_ Mai didn't move, she was to afraid to. The ghost wailed in agony shouting, "Why did he lie to me? He never loved me!" and then she disappeared. Mai was finally able to breathe again. She glanced at the two girls who were conversing about the ghost realizing they were leaving.

"Let's follow them." she whispered also getting up.

**5:00 pm...**

"Okay it's almost been an entire day, can we please go now? I don't think we're going to learn anything about your ghost." Will moaned out of boredom. The two girls had settled down on a park bench where they were feeding the birds. Mao had gone home because it wasn't good for her to stay out too long. The driver would fetch Mai and Will when they called. Which was seemingly going to be never because of Mai's stubbornness.

"I need to see why the ghost I haunting her." Mai said still not taking her eyes off the girl. There was no body around them so they could speak freely.

_"Maybe you should go to a church and ask a priest or something?"_ one said to the other. She nodded and was about to leave when a not so friendly looking individual came by.

_"Rebecca? Hey babe it is you!"_ Rebecca's friend scoffed and led her away but he stood in front of them, resting his arms around their shoulders.

_"Aw come on girls. You used to be so much fun what happened?"_

_ "Get lost Daniel. You're my brother's friend not mine."_ he acted like he had been stabbed through the heart. But he quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around her waist.

_"Get off!"_

_ "No way. There's a party down at Kyle's place, wanna go? There's lots of private places, we could 'catch up'"_ she struggled to get free but he held on tight and swung her over his shoulder. Her friend tried to help but she was only pushed away.

_"Hey! Is this guy bothering you?"_ Will had stormed out of the bushes and now stood in Daniel's path.

_"Who's this bitch?"_ he muttered.

_"Mind your own business."_ he waved her away but she gripped his hand with her left and then punched him square in the jaw with her right. He fell flat on the ground and dropped Rebecca who scrambled to get away.

_"Son of a-"_ Will kicked him in the gut before he could get up to fight back and he crumpled over.

_"I'd take a hint and stay down."_ she said her hands on hips in a confident womanly pose. Mai grabbed Rebecca's hand and quickly scurried away to a more popular area.

_"Thank you... that was very brave of you." _Rebecca's friend Julie smiled.

_"Not really. He was a total wuss."_ Will scoffed. She hated men like him. He reeked of drugs and alcohol and probably didn't even know the meaning of responsibility.

_"Girls like you two should stay outta that crowd."_ Will lectured.

_"He's one of my brother's friends."_ Rebecca sighed exhausted.

_"They are always following her and asking for things like sex or money." _Julie scoffed. _"You really should just move."_

_ "I can't. Now that the money's gone."_ Mai remembered hearing the ghost saying something about money.

_"Did your brother Jack take it?"_ she asked trying her best to speak clearly. The girl looked surprised.

_"How did you know that?"_ Will groaned realizing they weren't going back anytime soon.

**5:40 pm...**

At Rebecca's home she explained everything about her mother Barbara's ghost that had been haunting her since last night when she was murdered. She explained that about a week before her mother's murder, fifteen thousand dollars had gone missing from her mother's special savings account. She immediately suspected her brother of being the culprit as he often stole money so he could buy drugs to satisfy his addiction. Barbara became paranoid of the rest of her money's safety and constantly kept it in her purse afterward. But then not long after she was found dead in her car and her purse was missing from her lap.

_"And now she's haunting me. She appears in mirrors, in windows, anywhere where I'll see her. It's so horrible..."_ Rebecca trembled. _"I already had to identify my mother's body once I don't want to see it like that again!"_ tears flowed down her cheeks and Julie hugged her tightly.

_"If you're so sure that your brother did it than why haven't the police investigated it further."_ Julie explained for her.

"_They did but they said he couldn't be the murderer because he was somewhere else. He has all of his friends and the employees at the bar he was at to back him up." _Mai put her finger to her lip in deep thought.

"What do you think Wi-...Will...?" Will was drooling over the mystery gracing her ears.

_"What a beautiful puzzle." _she grinned. _"Watson! Fetch me pen and paper!" _she commanded Mai in a British accent.

_"Who's Watson?"_ she asked. Julie had pen and paper in her purse and gave it to will instead.

_"Thank you Ms. Julie. Now then..." _she started scribbling down facts faster than lightning.

_"I've seen my dad solve cases similar to this so we'll see if I'm right, which I always am. Ms. Rebecca, who else knew of your mother's habit of carrying the money in her purse?" _Rebecca thought for a moment and said the only people who knew were the police.

_"I see... there's a hole here... I want to say it's a hired hand but I'm sure the police have already investigated that factor and that seems to simple."_ she tapped her finger on the table in deep thought.

_"Did your mother have a lover?" _Mai asked the idea suddenly popping into her head. She remembered the ghost mentioning something about love. Rebecca cocked her head.

_"Mr. Barlow, the policeman that was helping her investigate the theft of the fifteen thousand dollars was a kind of lover you could say... he was constantly watching over her and making sure she was safe. Like a guardian angel."_ Rebecca explained. Mai remembered Mr. Barlow as being the detective that spoke with her and Naru. Will grinned and wrote down a few more sentences before slapping down the paper and standing triumphantly.

_"I have solved the case! Take these notes into the police department and make sure you read them in front of everybody. Make sure you tell us how it turned out."_ She wrote down the phone number of the Davis Manor and handed it to her. Mai was so confused being dragged away suddenly and told that everything was finished.

"But Will! What about the ghost?" she asked. Will grinned.

"Don't worry about it. Come on let's call a cab."

**6:45 pm...**

"Where have you tow been?" Ayako asked thoroughly worried.

"Cage wrestling wolverines while skateboarding down the pyramids while playing Dixie on the banjo." Will mocked running past her as she saw desert was being served.

"Sorry but we got a little distracted." Mai explained.

"Did you solve the case?" Mao asked being the only one who actually knew what they were doing.

"Case?" Naru asked his curiosity sparked.

"Naru, do you remember the murdered woman last night?" she asked. He cocked an eyebrow.

"I find it difficult to forget something like that."

"Well I saw her ghost today." Luella oo'ed and listened carefully nudging her husband. He seemed disinterested.

"She's been haunting her daughter since yesterday and we kinda went off on our own and solved a murder mystery..." Mai laughed afraid she would be scolded for taking on something by herself.

"I see. Well done." he said excusing himself form the table and leaving the room to go tend to more important things elsewhere. At that moment Hell froze over and Mai melted in a pool of a bliss.

"He actually praised me..." she squealed making mountains out of mole hills.

"This mystery, what was it?" Monk asked. Mai was going to explain but Will interrupted saying they would understand everything tomorrow morning. Mai saw Dr. Davis leave out of the corner or her eye and shuddered at the serious expression. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her wondering if she was the reason Naru and his father were fighting. But she was quickly distracted from her thoughts by a familiar face.

"Madoka!" she gasped.

"I'm back everyone!" she gave Mai a quick hug then congratulated her. Madoka was on a researching trip with Dr Martin Davis and had just returned from completing some final fact finding.

"I knew he would come around." she smiled and then noticed Will standing nearby.

"Here's a face I don't recognize. I'm Madoka Mori." she held out her hand and Will gripped it firmly ad gave it one solid shake.

"Willow Johnson. I'm Mai's friend."

"It's a pleasure." apparently it wasn't a pleasure for everyone. Mao stood in the corner with her arms crossed, emanating the aura of murder.

"Ah! My dear Mao Shu! It's so nice to see you again!" Madoka smiled genuinely despite the hateful glare she was receiving.

"Mao, stop that." Lin said with a cool expression. She glared at him making him remember that they were currently in the midst of battle. Madoka sighed.

"I really wish you'd tell me why you dislike me so much." she said with a puppy dog pout.

"Stop being so immatu-" Lin couldn't finish his sentence before Mao was up and out of the room stopping at the doorway for just a moment to shout something in Chinese.

_"Lin ni shi baichi!"_ and she was gone. Lin sighed and apologized to Madoka who waved it of as if it was nothing.

"You really are an idiot!" Will said standing up to Lin. The entire room went silent as the short red head took on the much taller older Chinese man.

"Mao's got every right to say what she just did! If you knew how she was feeling at all then you would have been running after her right now! For the love of God almighty men are stupid no matter where they're from! You have no idea how upset she is right now not to mention the fact that she's pregnant and God knows how that's affecting her! Maybe you should try treating her like a wife instead of reprimanding her like a little sister!" she panted angrily. Lin didn't seem to absorb any of her words and just stared at her with the usual unfazed expression.

"Forget it... I'm gonna go find her and make sure she isn't crying by herself." she stomped out of the room. Mai didn't like the sudden tension and so she went after Will a minute later.

"Where did they go?" she wondered looking down the hallways. She heard voices coming for a room nearby.

_"What happens between me and my girlfriend shouldn't interest you."_ Naru said a slight tinge of anger in his voice. Mai held back a gasp as she spied through the crack in the door.

_"As your father it concerns me that my son, who hasn't shown any interest in a woman, suddenly has a girlfriend."_

_ "Perhaps I changed my mind."_

_ "Or perhaps you are using her to try and find Gene's body. Perhaps she could even be a substitute."_ Mai didn't understand but what followed next tore her heart in two.

_"When your brother died it changed all of us Oliver. You may not admit it but you were affected the most. And now you run across a girl with the ability to read minds, communicates with spirits, who speaks, acts, and smiles just like he did. It seems a little suspicious."_ Naru glared at his father. Mai didn't understand. Was Gene... dead? The little boy she knew so long ago, Naru's twin brother, was dead?

_"Just like me... what is he... does that mean?"_ the thought horrified her.

_"You don't love her. You love the part of her that reminds you of Gene. She's just a medium between him and you."_ she gasped, stood up, and ran from the door not wanting to hear anymore. She didn't believe what she was hearing but at the same time the words still stung. Naru opened the door and looked around knowing exactly what had just happened.

"_I told both you and Gene that a respectable man doesn't use innocent girls. You've disappointed me Oliver._" Naru turned around with the most emotion on his face that his father had ever seen since Gene's death.

_"There can never be a substitute for my brother. I'll never forget him. But I am able to move on and think about something other than him father. What about you?"_ he left the room to find his girlfriend and quickly explain things to her before she jumped to conclusions as always. That was one of Mai's traits that he really didn't care much for.

**7:30 pm...**

_"Big brother?"_ Melva scampered up to him and latched onto his legs.

_"Big sister almost ran me over!"_ she said with an angry little face. _"She didn't even see me!"_ Naru sighed and picked up the little girl.

_"Mai's upset right now Melva. Let's go find her and cheer her up, okay?" _Melva looked worried and nodded vigorously.

_"Mama says my hugs are the best medicine!"_ she said spreading her chubby arms widely. Naru chuckled and agreed continuing down the hall towards Mai's room.

_"Big brother, do you love big sister?"_ the little girl asked looking up at him with big blue eyes. He tried to avoid contact with the sic kingly cute expression but even his heart was melted by those innocent eyes.

_"Why do you ask?"_ he avoided an answer.

_"Because."_

_"She not much better at answering questions than I am."_ he thought._ "I suppose if it's Melva there's no harm in admitting it. It's not like she'll go screaming it to the world."_ he thought about it and whispered an answer in her ear despite the curls in his way. She squealed and wiggled so much that she was able to jump out of his arms.

_"Big brother's in love! Big brother's in love! Love! Love! Love!"_ she squealed running away. He cringed as her words echoed through the hallway and ran after her. She ran inside Mai's bedroom and screamed the words over and over again to her big sister. Naru burst in through the door and clasped the little girl's mouth shut blocking her words. He sighed looking up to apologize for his father's words. But instead all he could do was stand there with a blank expression. There before him stood a topless Mai. No bra, only her frilled blue panties and a nightgown halfway pulled up her forearms. Melva watched as the two teens stared at each other. Mai didn't seem to realize or even believe what was happening. Naru looked down and then back up again.

"Strange... I-I can't look away... like a train wreck." Mai's temper snapped and she picked up anything nearby to throw at him.

"A train wreck?" she shouted. "YOU JERK!"

"Mai! Calm-" he ducked down dodging a clock. "Calm down!" he grabbed her wrists and held them high so she couldn't move. She blushed an impossible shade of red and so did he when realized what he was doing. He quickly grabbed the nightgown and pulled it over her head. Melva stared at the two wondering what was wrong.

_"Big brother why is your face so red?"_ she asked. Mai had to admit she felt rather proud of herself for being able to make the narcissist blush like that.

_"Big sister has pretty panties! Just like mine!"_ she was about to lift her skirt when Naru pushed it back down.

_"You can't do that Melva." _he choked out finally finding his voice in all this.

_"Why?"_ why did children always ask the worst questions.

_"Because no body is supposed to see that."_ he explained trying to keep the conversation as short as possible. He wanted to leave so bad but he still had to explain what his father had said to Mai.

_"But mama shows daddy her panties all the time."_ there was a long pause and the poor boy really couldn't think of anything to say to that. Mai burst out laughing and he turned around with a death glare.

"I fail to see how any of this is funny..." he hissed.

"Are you kidding? It's hilarious!" she tried to contain her giggles and patted Melva on the head.

_"Mommies and daddies are special Melva. Do you understand?"_ Melva scrunched her face up trying to mimic the face her father had when he was concentrating. She nodded her head and ran out the door no longer interested in their conversation. Naru stood there amazed.

"How did you do that?"

"It's not over yet. Using the word 'special' is only a temporary fix. Later she'll remember what I said and then ask either us or your mom and dad what 'special' means." Mai explained.

"As long as it's not me." he sighed and turned to her to continue with what he had originally came into the room for. But when he looked at her the image of her shirtless appeared in his mind and he turned bright red again. Mai blushed realizing what he was thinking and landed a punch on his right arm.

"Pervert!" she tried to push him out of the room but it was like trying to move a wall and he stood there watching her antics amused.

"If you would have locked the door that never would have happened." he said in his defense.

"If you wouldn't have burst in without knocking I wouldn't have to lock the door!" she said standing on her toes trying to make herself seem more intimidating. He grimaced as she pointed out his mistake hoping she wouldn't remember why he had ran into her room without warning but fate never seemed to be on his side.

"Why did Melva come in her shouting that you... that you... lov... lo..." she couldn't finish her sentence. It was so embarrassing saying those words for some reason even though they made her so happy.

"It was just a misunderstanding." the words echoed through her mind over and over again and for some reason tears started running down her cheeks. She gasped and tried to wipe them away.

"That's not what I meant!" he said frantically.

"I-I'm sorry I-I..." she couldn't talk anymore and just stood there wiping away the river of tears. He sighed and flopped down on her bed resting his face in his hands. He didn't understand how he, a genius who received his doctorate at the age of fourteen couldn't understand this complicated creature. He thought about what would make her calm down and realized that treating her like he usually did may not work this time. **(It's a miracle \o.o/)**

"Come here." he motioned for her to sit down and she did but not as close as he thought she would. He sighed and patted her on the head.

"My brother Gene passed way two years ago, not long before I met you. It's true that you two are a lot a like but what my father said..." he paused wondering if she was paying attention. She still had a few stray tears that dropped onto her nightgown as she stared at hers hands.

"I would never treat my brother the way I treat you." he sighed realizing the look she had meant she didn't understand.

"My brother and I... we weren't exactly like other twins. I wasn't comfortable around him like most sibling relationships, in fact he drove me crazy. But he was still the person closest to me. The day he died I was burrowing one of his shirts when I had a vision. A woman had hit him with her car and disposed of his body in a lake... I lost control of my emotions and smashed every mirror in the house." Mai started crying again but this time it was out of sadness for Naru. She hugged him tightly making him jump, but he didn't push her away.

"I'm sorry... I know it's stupid to cry but-"

"No. It's not stupid... crying is a way of releasing emotions. It's the first step in letting wounds heal." Mai chuckled.

"Coming from the guy who acts like a robot most of the time." he smiled. Mai loved these out of character moments.

"But you have to be like that don't you? I remember Lin saying you caused poltergeists because you couldn't control yourself when you were little, so it's good that you're the way you are now." he looked at her confused smile.

"I thought you hated that unemotional side?" she smiled and decided to tease him a little bit.

"If I hated that unemotional side than how could I have fallen in love with you." she said resting her head on his shoulder. His eyes widened.

"Well good because that's all you'll be seeing from me for a while." she pouted and asked why.

"Because even I need a break."

"It seems like it'd be more work trying to hide your emotions." she shrugged. "What are you going to do about your father?" she asked as he stood ready to leave.

"There's nothing to explain to him. If he can't see how differently I treat you from how a treated Gene than that's his problem." now she was curious.

"What the difference?" he sighed because he knew she would ask that.

"I'm pretty sure I never took my brother out on dates or comforted him with hugs when he was upset." her heart skipped a beat and she blushed slightly.

"Plus I never really enjoyed seeing him naked."

"I see... wait, what?" she was sure she heard that wrong but his face held the cockiest grin she had ever seen and she flushed bright red.

"You... you... PERVERT!"

**October 28th, Sunday, 8:00 am...**

"Please excuse me sir but she refuses to leave until she sees Ms. Johnson and Ms. Taniyama." Harrison explained.

"What's going on?" Luella asked. Everyone was just coming down for breakfast.

"A Ms. Rebecca Bailey is here to see Ms. Johnso-"

"Thank you Jeeves!" Will said racing past the butler. She came back only to grab Mai's arm and haul her with her.

"Come Watson! We must revel in the spoils of our success!" Harrison tried not to roll his eyes and followed the girls to waiting room just past the front door.

"Ms. Rebecca!" Will said striking a pose. The girl ran to Will and crushed her in a hug.

"You were right! I can't believe it but you were right!"

"Of course I was." Will said magically dawning a Sherlock Holmes outfit.

"What is going on?" Monk asked with a yawn.

"A mystery has been solved my good man." she said sitting in the recliner in the corner.

"On the night of October 26th there was a woman named Barbara Bailey who was brutally murdered inside of her car. There were two gun shots to the left side of the head and the only missing items from the vehicle was a purse, containing fifteen thousand dollars. Now then, one may think this is like any other black and white murder but you are wrong! For you see there was another fifteen thousand dollars claimed to have been stolen a week earlier from Barbara's personal safe. The house wasn't broken into nor were there any signs of burglary, like the culprit knew the exact location of his target."

"It had to be someone close to her, a relative or friend." Naru said as he entered the room.

"Exactly! Barbara suspected her son, a boy fallen into the world of crime. The police arrived and a Mr. Barlow commenced with a thorough investigation was completed. Unfortunately there was not enough evidence to convict her son. Barbara, fearing her savings to be in danger kept them with her at all times. But sadly that move placed her life in danger and she was found pulled over on the side of the road dead, a small square on her lap where the purse would have been. So it is now that I ask you my friends, who is the murderer?" she grinned with pride as everyone looked at each other for an answer.

"Not bad." Naru said. Will chuckled.

"Is it her son?" Ayako asked.

"No." Will shook her head. Mai's eyes widened and she wondered if she truly knew the answer.

"Why don't you explain Mai?" Naru asked knowing that look.

"Um.. well. I think it's... Mr. Barlow." the room went silent and Naru felt a little bit of pride in his girlfriend.

"Of course." Monk snapped his fingers. John nodded congratulating the two girls.

"You are indeed correct Watson. The two key facts are the purse and the car themselves. For why, may I ask you, would she be pulled over on the side of the road? There were no problems with the vehicle. And also, why would she have her purse in her lap?"

"Because a policeman pulled her over."

"And Bingo was his name, or Barlow in this case. Mr. Barlow was the only one who knew, other than Rebecca, that Barbara kept the money in her purse and he knew where she was at all times."

"My mother was going to meet Mr. Barlow when she was murdered. He told her specifically to bring the money so he could set u a trap for my brother." Rebecca explained with a sigh.

"Thank you, both of you. Last night, after I had gone to the police department, I saw my mother again. She was so beautiful... like an angel. She kissed me goodbye." Rebecca said with happy tears.

"She's now at peace."

…...

Hooray! oT.T/ So what did ya think of my mystery? o.o I know this is a sucky way to end a chapter but I wanna start a new arc so I just decided to end it there :p But do not fret my beloved reviewers, for soon! Soon shall be the coming of a new chapter!... and possibly a new character O.O *gasp* Rate and review pretty please! \o.o/


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